This year, Gaza faced one of the most horrific attacks by Israeli forces that has been ongoing since October 7. Since then, the world spoke up but unfortunately, among the voices were ones that propagated and shared misinformation and insubstantial claims. It is important, now more than ever, to make an active effort in filtering through the sea of information for the actual truth. In light of this, we have put together all the ways to stay informed about Palestine:
Who To Follow
Currently in Gaza, everyday, new tragedies occur whether it’s the destruction of hospitals or the total obliteration of refugee camps. Knowing what is happening on-ground everyday is important as it paints a realistic idea of the level of violence and destruction occurring in Gaza. For many, global media outlets are the main source of information yet, a lot of the information is offered from a biased lens or as a continuation of the Israeli propaganda.
To get a clear picture of what is happening on-ground, one needs people actually on-ground, in Gaza to document the truth. Today, there are several brave Palestinian journalists, donned in the signature blue reporter vest, who have been risking their lives to showcase the tragic realities of Gaza. The names of these journalists have become stamped into our minds. They include:
Motaz Azazia
Born in a refugee camp, 24-year old Motaz Azazia is the photojournalist who made it his mission to offer the world a window into the ongoings of Gaza. In his videos, you will see him standing amidst the rubble of destroyed buildings or interviewing Gazan residents as they recall the horrors they faced during the genocide.
Bisan Ouda
Poignant and heartfelt, 25-year-old Palestinian journalist Ouda speaks from the heart as most of her videos include detailed live and daily updates on every new tragedy faced by the Gazan community. In each of her videos, she says her signature phrase “I am still alive” showcasing the uncertainty of the lives of the Gazan people.
Plestia Alaqad
The 22-year-old Palestinian journalist informs viewers through her videos where she updates everyone on the ongoings of Gaza but along with that, she paints a semblance of hope by focusing on Palestinian people where she documents moments of sheer humanity like how Gazans keep their windows open to let their neighbors in.
What To Listen To
Sometimes, it is hard to find the time to get informed on the current ongoings in Gaza especially with jobs and responsibilities that is why podcasts can be a great go-to resource. While commuting to work on a busy day, there are several podcasts you can tune into that will give you new insight and knowledge on Palestine and its current ongoings:
Stories From Palestine
The popular Arab podcast platform known as Sowt has recently created a podcast all about Palestine, that includes first-hand accounts of its current events as well as its history. The best part about is that many of its episodes include conversations with Palestinians currently on the ground including doctors who gave detailed accounts on everything from the number of people injured to the state of the hospitals.
Rethinking Palestine
Sparking conversations and fostering public debate, this podcast is all about bringing different voices to share their analysis of what is happening to Palestine today. You can expect topics like the phenomenon of Pro-Palestinian solidarity across the US and Europe as well as a dive into UK’s anti-BDS bill targeting Pro-Palestine activism.
What To Watch
Beyond today’s genocide, there is a lot of history on the Palestinian occupation knowing that there were two other major expulsions, the Naksa of 1967 and the Nakba of 1948. That is over 75 years of history and it is important to unravel and unpack that timeline to get a better grasp and understanding of the events happening today. One of the best ways to do so is by watching documentaries that dive deep into Palestinian history:
Al Nakba
Back in 2008, Al Jazeera made a four-part documentary on the Nakba, a documentary that comprehensively analyzes the events that have led to the displacement of over 700,000 Palestinians.
Born in Gaza
Exploring the lens of Gazan children following the catastrophic war of the summer of 2014. The documentary goes beyond news coverage and dives into the perspective of the children and the psychological impact of the war.
What To Read
Watching documentaries can offer a rich informative and visual storytelling experience into the Palestinian occupation but there is a way to dive even deeper and get the complete picture on the Palestinian narrative through real-life accounts from its people.
In Search Of Fatima: A Palestinian Story
Drawing into the life of Palestinian Ghada Karmi, the memoir explores her childhood spent in Palestine and struggles in Britain. It is a poignant exploration of the human cost of the loss of one’s home and the journey of re-shaping one’s identity.
I Saw Ramallah
It is the first narrative work by the well known Palestinian poet, Mourid Barghouti and it gives readers a harrowing portrayal of leaving Palestine and returning to it once again after long years in the Diaspora.
What To Believe
Appearing in a recent podcast with Abbie Chatfield, Bassem Youssef, the famous Egyptian personality who has been making waves through his relentless and unconventional methods in supporting Palestine, has once again tapped into a no-nonsense approach and spoke about how to detect lies in the content that we take in everyday.
In the podcast, he talks about staged or fake videos, we see a viral video of a “nurse” claiming that Hamas was hiding under Al Shifa hospital. This is to presumably attempt to justify the bombing but Youssef immediately picked up on how the video is staged as not only is there a fake explosion in the video but also, how as he said, “everything behind her Is so pristine and her gloves are so clean.” These are the kinds of markers and signs that we have to pay close attention to so to know how to pick up on fake content.
Through reading, listening, watching and keeping a skeptical eye on all the content we are exposed to on a daily basis, we get a little closer to the truth and closer to what is happening in Palestine.