CAPTURING War-torn Gaza

Representing and reporting the truth about the atrocities in Gaza could have been a redemptive moment for photojournalism

- Bharat Choudhary

THE systematic and wilful murders of the Palestinian people by successive Israeli governments have been going on since the 1960s. So, discussing only the events of October 7, 2023, is like entering the narrative halfway through the story.

Israel and its enablers have, for decades, sought to equate any criticism of Israel or its policies towards Palestinians with allegations of inherent anti-Semitism. Individuals who have sought to offer context to the Palestinian resistance, or voiced solidarity with the Palestinian cause, have faced public penalties. In the past 70 days, this has manifested in job losses, student suspensions, cancellations of events and speakers, demonisation of protestors, and the criminalisation of dissent.

Yet, social media is teeming with overwhelming support for Palestine; ordinary citizens around the world are outraged, mobilising in large numbers to organise protests on the streets, participating in boycotts against corporations, and calling on world leaders for a permanent ceasefire in Israel’s latest, and most brutal, assault on Gaza. However, this support for the Palestinian cause does not stem from accurate or evidence-based news from media organisations.

Indeed, what we are observing is the brazen alignment of corporate mainstream media with political powers and Israeli narratives in their coverage of the assault on Gaza. Entities such as the BBC and The New York Times have faced protests, both sizable and modest, for their apparent bias in favour of Israel while reporting on the issue.

This backing for Palestinians can largely be attributed to the steadfast dedication of local photojournalists who