Top Palestinian Journalists and Digital Creators You Need to Follow
Every year we search far and wide for the best of the best South Asians that are making strides in their respective careers or for the community. We know many of you look forward to this list of unique stars excelling in a wide range of fields but we are sorry to disappoint as this year we have chosen not to release our Top 50 South Asians to know list. With all the trauma and damage around us, we felt the need to use our forces of good to honor some special people who are literally putting their lives on the line to save their people, to let the world know the atrocities faced by their nation. We have chosen to honor the brave journalists and digital creators of Palestine who have been working and fighting oppression with their trade until their last breath. As a company, we feel strongly about the Palestinean genocide and as journalists, to us, there is no greater cause than fighting for the truth.
In America, like many other democracies around the world, the right to free speech and the freedom of our media was created specifically to be the voice of the people. The media was designed to keep the branches of our government in check and to hold them accountable for injustices by bringing them to the awareness of the masses. Our media holds great power, and in the legendary words of Uncle Ben (from Spiderman) “with great power comes great responsibility.” Sadly, corruption, greed, prejudices, and other biases keep our mainstream media outlets from being objective or having the power to call out blatant injustices.
This is why the strength of these journalists is so commendable. Not only do they have their life on the line living in war-torn Gaza, but they are also holding the world accountable by showcasing what is actually happening in Gaza daily. They refuse to allow the narrative to be controlled by politicians and in part due to social media, they have a free and large platform to do so. They have faced such obstacles, such as social media sites trying to ban posts, people reporting their posts, a lack of internet connection in Palestine, and being tracked by the Israeli military so they have to limit phone use. Many have also reported getting calls from the Israeli military with threats warning them that they and their families will be targeted. These powerful Palestinian voices still found a way to prevent the manipulation of their people’s stories.
These talented, beautiful people have been targeted and killed by Israel, even though targetting journalists is a war crime under Article 8 of the Rome Statute (The Rome Statute established the International Criminal Court). Per Al-Jazeera, the Gaza government media office has reported that at least 100 journalists have been killed since October 7th, 2023, however, the actual number could be greater. The Committee to Protect Journalists reported 30 deaths and 9 missing or detained at the start of November, and in barely a month and a half, they have reported 69 deaths. This month, journalist Mohammad Abu Hweidy was killed by an Israeli airstrike and Al-Jazeera Arabic’s correspondent Wael Dahdouh was injured and cameraman Samer Abudaqa was killed while reporting on an Israeli airstrike on a school. Israeli forces prevented ambulances from reaching Abudaqa who was seriously injured and unfortunately bled to death. The Qatar-based news agency has filed criminal charges for what they state was the assassination of their beloved colleague, Abudaqa.
One of the hardest things to digest is that due to this continuous conflict for over 50 years, the Palestinian people as a whole are very young due to being killed before reaching old age. Most of the journalists on our list are under 30. Imagine being 22, 25, or 28 years old, living with no food, water, and electricity, and the constant fear of a missile killing you or your family, all the while making the time to photograph, record, edit, and post content.
It is difficult to put into words how much love and concern the world has for these special individuals. We wake up to check Instagram to see if they have posted today just to know that they are still alive. Never in our lives have we prayed so hard, worried so much, devoted so much time to, and loved so deeply someone we have never met, who never met us. Never have we cried from the depths of our soul for people we have never touched in a place we have never been. Never has the entire world taken a stand to fight the few, the greedy, the corrupt in power.
Never will we forget the names of our Palestinian brothers and sisters whom we have lost and who we thankfully still have for their courageous fight. Never will we forget that some heroes don’t wear capes, they wear press jackets and helmets.
14. Afaf Ahmed
Young Afaf Ahmed was set to have her engagement party the week of October 7th when this war destroyed her life. She went from shopping for dresses to running for her life in the span of days. Now she shares the story of her new normal and posts to let her followers know that she is still alive.
We cannot conclude this list without calling attention to another set of true heroes in Palestine right now, the doctors and nurses. These medical staff both from Palestine and volunteers from around the world are enduring endless trauma themselves but continuing to work with little to no tools to support them. Eye on Palestine has aptly named them soldiers of humanity. They deserve the highest of honors for their tireless work.
13. Belal Khaled
Belal Khaled is an artist and photojournalist who has worked for the likes of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Al-Jazeera, and The Guardian. He went from covering the World Cup in Qatar to the pain and torment of the Palestinian people in Gaza in just a year. His keen eye gives him the power to make you feel wonder when you see his portrayal of the Palestinian people, it leaves you in awe that they are still standing after all this pain.
12. Doaa Albaz Mohammad
Doaa is a Palestinian journalist who, like all those on this list, is risking her life daily to show the world snippets of the pain of the Palestinian people. She is not just sharing pictures and videos of attacks but actually how they are coping with these events from figuring out how to find the body parts of their dead, using their cars to transport their dead because they have no ambulances and hundreds of missing children with no way to reach their parents or even know if their parents are alive.
11. Hosam Salem
Hosam Salem was a freelance photojournalist for the New York Times covering the Gaza Strip and Al Jazeera. He has beautifully shared the stories of those who have passed in this gruesome war including his close friend Roshdi Sarraj who was a filmmaker killed in an Israeli airstrike. Hosam Salem reported that he was abruptly fired from The New York Times due to a targeted attack from the editor of Honest Reporting who created a report citing Salem (as well as 2 other Palestinian journalists) as antisemitic and a supporter of Palestinian terrorists because he spoke up against the Israeli military for killing innocent Palestinians, including his cousin. However, Hosam Salem is not one to be silenced, he is still sharing the stories of his people by highlighting photographers still in Palestine and speaking out about the anguish of being separated from his family and friends in Gaza.
10. Eye On Palestine
Not quite journalists on the ground floor, but this News and Media Instagram page has been the most followed page for Palestinian content before the war and since the start, it has been a lifeline for those around the world providing information on all the atrocities happening in Gaza. They have been a hub of resources, connections, and reliable content spreading awareness of the atrocities occurring in Palestine.
Mohammad El Helo is a Palestinian cameraman, video editor and photographer who has been covering the war. He was targeted and interrogated by the Israeli military while fleeing from South Gaza. Press are protected by international law and he speaks out about intentionally being humiliated by the officers because they are targetting journalists to silence them.
8. Mohammad Aborjela
Mohammad Aborjela is a content creator and philanthropist. He has been working with displaced children and their families helping provide food and supplies in camps while sharing their stories of love. While many of the journalists are sharing the pain, Mohammad Aborjela shares how resilient the Palestinian people are that they can still find joy amid their pain by playing games with children, showing how generous his people are, and showcasing their beautiful culture like traditional food.
7. Ahmed Hijazee
Ahmed Hijazee is a Palestinian content creator and journalist who has been using his coverage to help reunite displaced children with their parents, provide toys and supplies for children, and bringing these innocent souls joy. He has been covering the war with regular footage of what is happening and as you can imagine, it plays like a horror film with bombs and bodies. He has been working with AJ Witness, a documentary-style content page that is a branch of Al-Jazeera. The most beautiful part of Ahmed is his endless positivity and resilience, he is sure in his faith that Palestine will rebuilt, and we definitely share his faith in the Palestinian people.
Plestia Alaqa is a Palestinian HR professional and content creator who has turned citizen journalist. She was a travel and lifestyle blogger based out of Gaza but now reports video diaries of daily life in Gaza since the start of the war. Being only 22, she has openly shared her emotions and how she understands her grandfather’s stories of what it was like to live through the Nakba and 1948 Palestine war. Her unique coverage of the war has gone viral, her content has been covered by outlets like NBC News, BBC, ABC, The New York Times, and more. She was also interviewed by GB News in the UK.
Ali Jadallah is a Palestinian award-winning photojournalist who is currently in Gaza sharing powerful images from the current situation. He is truly a talented photographer, one who can evoke emotion through his work. Two of his powerful photos were selected as Time Magazine’s 100 Photos of 2023. (https://twitter.com/
Bisan Owda is a young Palestinian filmmaker who has been documenting life in Gaza for not just herself but for others such as people with disabilities, displaced children, and more. She had to relocate from her home in Beit Hanoun to Al-Shifa Hospital with her family. Her family home and officer were bombed, all her equipment destroyed, and she still posts as much as she can. The opposition continues to try and silence her by claiming she is antisemitic or connected to Hamas. However major news outlets such as BBC, ABC News, and Al-Jazeera have shared her content. Most recently, it has become heartbreaking to see her losing hope as she has been ill. Our prayers and love are with Bisan always.
Hind Khaudary is a Palestinian freelance journalist based in Gaza, and like Motaz Aziaza, she too has been working to share the details of daily life in Gaza. She has worked with international news agencies such as TRT World, PBS, Middle East Eye, and Vice. Currently, has been reporting often for Al-Jazeera since the war began and is actively covering the the impact of the war on all, including pregnant women struggling with birth, miscarriage, and poor prenatal care. Despite having the chance to leave the country with her family, Hind chose to stay and keep fighting, to keep giving a voice to her people.
Wael Al Dahouh is the bureau chief of the Al-Jazeera Gaza City. In his youth, he was held in an Israeli prison for 7 years after high school but upon release, he obtained a bachelor’s and later master’s degree in Palestine because Israel prevented him from traveling abroad to study. He has had an extensive career beginning in 1998 working for Palestinian outlets against the Israeli occupation and for Al-Jazeera since 2004. He has been actively reporting from Gaza and was on air when he discovered his family was killed in an air strike. His son was seriously wounded but he lost his wife and two of his children, including his teenage son who dreamed of being a correspondant like his father. Wael Al Dahouh also lost 8 other relatives, all of whom were at the Nuseirat refugee camp after they were told to evacuate from North Gaza. Then on December 15th, a targeted Isreali missile injured him and killed his cameraman Samer Abudaqa while they were covering the recent Farhana School airstrike. This man is so strong he did not stop to grieve his losses, he returned to work to keep fighting after both incidents. Wael’s elder sons Humdan and Humza, seem to be just as strong as their father. They work beside him as photographers and videographers.
Motaz Azaiza is a photojournalist from the Gaza Strip who works for United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). He has become a household name due to his heroic work as a journalist in spreading the atrocities committed by Israel in Palestine. He has been forthcoming in sharing information about his daily life, even putting his life on the line as he notes that he has to keep his phone off as the Israeli government is tracking him and bombing where he is located.
This list is not at all the complete list of journalists, photographers, videographers, and digital content creators who are producing content from Palestine or in support of Palestine. They are just a few of the MANY talented Palestinians who are doing the hard work on the frontlines to save their people.
As we’ve said, Palestinians are resilient, and we will rise again together. No one is free unless we are all free, and we all not free until Palestine is free.
