As the conflict in Gaza, which began in October 2023, continues, Palestinian journalists face unprecedented devastation, working on the front lines amid severe restrictions on foreign press access, according to Tahseen al-Astal, deputy head of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate in Gaza. More than 250 journalists have been killed, dozens have been injured, and over 150 local, Arab, and international media outlets have been destroyed or damaged. For reporters like Nisreen Thabet and Amer Sultan, these grim statistics represent a daily reality of personal loss, constant displacement, and immense professional hazard.
Nisreen Thabet Balances Motherhood and Frontline Reporting
For 40-year-old journalist and mother of two Nisreen Thabet, reporting on the war means carrying a double burden of fear for the people she covers and for her children, Majd and Ahmed, who depend entirely on her after the death of their father. Her husband, Haider al-Masdar, a writer and researcher in political and media affairs, was killed in July 2024 by an Israeli airstrike targeting a media tent inside a central Gaza hospital. Following his death, Thabet considered leaving journalism as she watched colleagues abandon the field, but she ultimately chose to continue reporting, viewing her work as the “last line of defense for the truth.” Today, she lives in a tent with her children, remaining constantly prepared to flee amid ongoing displacement while attempting to preserve fragments of a normal education and future for her family.
Did You Know? Nisreen Thabet’s late husband, Haider al-Masdar, was killed in July 2024 when an Israeli airstrike struck a hospital tent designated for journalists in central Gaza.
Amer Sultan Survives Family Tragedy While Documenting Gaza
For 32-year-old photojournalist Amer Sultan, who has documented events in Gaza since 2014, the war brought a profound personal tragedy when 13 members of his family, including his mother, were killed inside their home on January 16, 2025. Sultan had been separated from his family since October 7, 2023, when he left his Jabalia refugee camp home for Gaza City to cover the unfolding crisis, subsequently facing displacement in the southern Gaza Strip. Despite receiving offers to leave Gaza and facing severe hardships—including fuel shortages, destroyed roads, and a lack of transportation that forces him to walk long distances—Sultan returned to work the day after learning of his family’s deaths. “For me, journalism isn’t just a job,” Sultan stated, emphasizing his commitment to conveying the suffering of local residents to the world.
How do you view the role of local journalists reporting from active conflict zones where international access is heavily restricted?
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