On 24th May, 6pm, Palestinian journalists covering Gaza will be honoured in a silent and visually impactful vigil outside Shed 10, 89 Quay Street, Auckland, where the Voyager Media Awards are being held.

The vigil, organised by Palestinian Youth Aotearoa (PYA) and People for Palestine (P4P), will include Palestinian supporters holding up 105 “PRESS” vests in recognition of the brave journalists of Gaza, laureates of the 2024 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, who have been systematically targeted and silenced by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) throughout this conflict, their families often being martyred alongside them.

PYA and P4P call on all journalists in Aotearoa to stand in solidarity with the courageous journalists of the Gaza Strip who continue to report on what the International Court of Justice has called a plausible genocide under threat of death at any moment by the Israeli Defence Force.

PYA and P4P commends Kawea Te Rongo (the Māori Journalist Association) for their declaration of support for their Palestinian colleagues back in November 2023 with co-chair Mani Dunlop publicly stating, “Journalists and the media are integral to ensuring the world and its leaders are accurately informed during this conflict … Daily we are seeing stories of journalists who face extreme brutality … including the unconscionable worry of their families’ safety while they themselves risk their lives. It is a deadly trade-off, every day they put on their press vest and helmet to do their job selflessly for their people and the rest of the world.”

PYA spokesperson and musician, Rose Freeborn, wants journalists reporting from Aotearoa to critically examine Israel’s treatment of their peers in Gaza and encourages storytellers of all mediums to engage with Palestinian voices.

“We unequivocally condemn the mass murder of 105 journalists in Gaza by the IDF since October 7th, as well as Israel’s longstanding history of targeting journalists across the region, from Shireen Abu Akleh to Issam Abdallah, in an attempt to smother the truth and dictate history.

"As that number continues to climb, we continue to grow weary with the substandard conduct of some of our own journalists here in Aotearoa. At times, the media industry in this country has failed not only the Palestinian community but New Zealand society at large by reporting factual inaccuracies and displaying a clear bias for the Israeli narrative. This has led to people no longer trusting mainstream media outlets to give them the full story, so they have turned to each other and the journalists on the ground in Gaza via social media.

"The storytellers of Gaza, with their resilience and extraordinary courage, have provided a blueprint for journalists across the globe to stand in defense of truth, accuracy and objectivity. This action is designed to remind some of our media professionals here that the indispensable values of journalism will not die in the absence of their commitment to them – we, the people, bear witness, with or without them.”

Palestinian New Zealander and P4P spokesperson, Yasmine Serhan, states, “While it is my people being subjected to mass murder and ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip, it is the peers of New Zealand journalists who are being systematically targeted and murdered by Israel in an attempt to stop the truth being reported. Every day the journalists of Gaza report on and provide footage of the international war crimes being committed by Israel. Just by doing their job and fulfilling this vital role, 105 journalists have paid with their lives in Gaza.

"The murdered journalists of Gaza are no different to the journalists of Aotearoa in their pursuit of telling the truth. I ask that all New Zealand journalists honor those who have lost their lives and stand in solidarity with their peers still reporting from Gaza by calling on Israel to uphold international law and stop the systematic targeting and murder of any more Gazan journalists and their families.”

Journalists murdered in Gaza since October 7, 2023

Mohammad Jarghoun, Smart Media, killed on 7 October

Ibrahim Lafi, Ain Media news agency, killed on 7 October

Mohammad Al-Salhi, photojournalist for news agency Fourth Authority, killed on 7 October Asaad Shamlakh, freelance journalist, killed on 8 October

Said Al-Tawil, director of Al-Khamisa news agency, killed on 10 October

Mohammed Sobboh, photojournalist for Khabar news agency in Gaza, killed on 10 October Hisham Al-Nawajha, photographer for Khabar news agency in Gaza, killed on 10 October Salam Meimah (W), journalist for Al Quds Radio, killed on 10 October

Mohammed Fayez Yousef Abu Matar, freelance photographer, killed on 11 October Ahmed Shehab, producer of Voice of Prisoners Radio, killed on 12 October Hossam Mubarak, Al Aqsa TV, killed on 13 October

Yousef Dawwas, freelance journalist, killed on 14 October

Abdul Hadi Habib, Al Aqsa TV, killed on 16 October

Isam Bahar, Al Aqsa TV, killed on 17 October

Mohammed Balousha, Palestine TV, killed on 17 October

Samih Al-Nadi, director and producer of Al Aqsa TV, killed on 18 October

Khalil Abu Athra, cameraman for Al Aqsa TV, killed on 19 October

Muhammad Abu Ali, Al-Shabab radio, killed on 20 October

Hani Madhoun, administrative staff for Al Aqsa TV, killed on 21 October

Roshdi Sarraj, co-founder of Ain Media, photojournalist, filmmaker and fixer for several international media such as Radio France, killed on 22 October

Mohammed Imad Labad, journalist for Al Resalah news website, killed on 23 October Saed al-Halabi, Al-Aqsa TV, killed on 25 October

Ahmed Abu Mahadi, Al-Aqsa TV, killed on 25 October

Salma Mukhaimar (W), journalist, killed on 25 October

Jamal Al-Faqawi, journalist for Mithaq Media Network, killed on 25 October Zaher Al-Afghani, journalist for Mithaq Media Network, killed on 25 October Duaa Sharaf (W), journalist for Al Aqsa Radio, killed on 26 October

Mohammad Fayez Al Hassan, director general of Rawasi, killed on 26 October Yasser Abu Namous, journalist for Al Sahel media, killed on 27 October

Nazmi Al-Nadim, deputy director of finance and administration for Palestine TV, killed on 30 October

Majd Kashkou, media worker for Palestine TV, killed on 31 October

Imad Wahidi, media worker for Palestine TV, killed on 31 October

Majd Fadl Arandas, journalist for news website Al-Jamahir, killed on 1 November Mohammed Abu Hatab, correspondent for Palestine TV, killed on 2 November Mohammed Bayyari, journalist for Al Aqsa TV, killed on 2 November

Iyad Matar, administrative staff at Al Aqsa TV, killed on 2 November

Mohammed Al Jajeh, Press House, killed on 6 November

Mohammad Abu Hasira, correspondent for WAFA news agency, body found under the rubble on 7 November

Yahya Abu Munie, journalist for Al Aqsa radio, killed on 7 November

Ahmed Al-Qara, photojournalist, killed on 10 November

Mousa Al Barsh, executive director of Namaa Radio, killed on 12 November Ahmed Fatmah, photographer for Al Qahera News, killed on 13 November Yacoub Bursh, director general of Namaa Radio, killed on 14 November

Mahmoud Matar, freelance journalist, killed on 15 November

Moseab Ashour, photographer, killed on 18 November

Mustafa Al-Sawaf, journalist and writer, killed on 18 November

Amr Abu Haya, media worker in Al Aqsa TV, killed on 18 November

Saary Mansour, director of Quds News Network, killed on 18 November

Hassouneh Isleem, freelance photographer for Quds News, killed on 18 November Bilal Jadallah, director general of media development organisation Press House, killed on 19 November

Abdelhalim Awad, driver for Al Aqsa TV, killed on 18 November

Ayat Al-Khaddura (W), digital and broadcaster journalist, killed on 20 November Khamis Salem Deab, editor at Al Quds Radio, killed on 20 November

Jamal Hanieh, editor at Amwaj Sports Media Network, killed on 21 November Mohamad Nabil Al-Zaq, journalist for Quds TV, killed on 22 November

Assem Al-Barsh, journalist for Palestinian Al-Ray radio, killed on 22 November

Muhammad Moin Ayyash, photojournalist, killed on 23 November

Amal Zahed (W), journalist, killed on 24 November

Mustafa Bakir, journalist and cameraman for Al Aqsa TV, killed on 24 November Nader Al-Nazli, technician for Palestine TV, killed on 25 November

Abdallah Darwish, photojournalist for Al Aqsa TV, killed on 1 December Muntaser Al-Sawaf, photographer for Anadolu Agency, killed on 1 December Marwan Al-Sawaf, photographer for Alef Media, killed on 1 December

Adham Hassouna, freelance journalist, killed on 1 December

Hassan Farajallah, executive at Al Quds TV, killed on 3 December

Shaima Jazzar (W), freelance journalist, killed on 4 December

Ala Atallah (W), journalist, killed on 9 December

Mohamed Abu Samra, photojournalist, killed on 9 December

Duaa Jabbour (W), freelance journalist for Eyes Media Network, killed on 9 December Narmeen Qawwas (W), intern at Russia Today, killed on 11 December

Abdul Karim Odeh, journalist and former Al-Mayadeen correspondent, killed on 13 December Samer Abu Daqqa, cameraman for Al Jazeera Arabic, killed on 15 December Assem Kamal Moussa, journalist for Palestine Now, killed on 16 December Haneen Ali Al-Qashtan (W), journalist for Sawt Al Watan Radio, killed on 17 December Abdallah Alwan, media worker for Al Jazeera owned platform Midan, killed on 18 December Mohammad Nasser Abu Hweidy, photojournalist for Al Istiqlal newspaper, killed on 22 December

Ahmad Jamal Madhoun, deputy director at Al Rai news agency, killed on 23 December Mohammad Saidi (Khalifa), director at Al Aqsa TV, killed on 24 December Mohammad Abdul Khaleq Al Ghuf, photojournalist for Al Rai news agency, killed on 24 December

Huthaifa Lulu, broadcast engineer at Prisoners Radio, who previously worked for Al Quds TV, killed on 24 December

Mohammad Khair Al Din, archiving officer at Al Aqsa TV, killed on 28 December Ahmad Khair Al Din, photojournalist for Al Aqsa TV, killed on 28 December Jaber Abu Hedrous, correspondent for Al-Quds TV, killed on 29 December Akram Al Shafei, correspondent for Safa News Agency, killed on 5 January Hamza Al-Dahdouh, journalist for Al Jazeera, killed on 7 January

Mustafa Thuraya, freelance videographer for Agence France Presse, killed on 7 January Heba Al-Abdallah (W), journalist, killed on 9 January

Ahmad Bdeir, journalist for local magazine Hadaf News, killed on 10 January Mohammed Jamal Sabahi Al Thalathin, journalist for Al Quds TV, killed on 11 January Yazan Al-Zuweidi, photographer for Al Ghad TV, killed on 15 January

Iyad Ahmed Al-Ruwahi, correspondent and presenter for Voice of Al Aqsa Radio, killed on 26 January

Mohamed Abdel El Fatah Atta Allah, editor for Al-Risala newspaper, killed on 29 January Nafez Abdel Jawad, director of Palestine TV, killed on 8 February

Alaa al-Hams (W), journalist for local media, killed on 12 February

Angham Ahmed Adwan (W), journalist for Libyan channel February, killed on 12 February

Mohammad Yaghi, photojournalist for a number of international media, including Al Jazeera, killed on 23 February

Ibrahim Mahamid, journalist, presenter and cameraman for Al-Salam TV, Al-Shaab TV and other local media, killed on 1 March

Mohammed Khader Ahmad Salama, journalist and presenter for Al-Aqsa TV, killed on 5 March Abdel Rahman Saima, photohrapher and producer for Raqmi TV, killed on 15 March Mohammed Al-Rifi, photojournalist, killed on 15 March

Saher Akram Rayyan, media worker for WAFA news agency, killed on 25 March Mohammed Abu Sakhil, editor and graphic designer for Shams News Agency, killed on 28 March

Amna Mahmoud Hamid, presenter and newspaper editor, killed on 6 May

Moataz Mustafa Al-Ghafrit, photojournalist for the Ard Canaan website and the Palestinian Media Corporation, killed on 6 May

Mahmoud Jahjouh, photojournalist for the Palestine Post website, killed on 6 May Hael Al-Najjar, editor at Al-Aqsa Media Network, killed on 6 May 2024

__ __ __

People for Palestine is an organisation committed to advocating for the human rights of Palestinians. For 76 years, Palestinians have been subjected to oppression, ethnic cleansing and apartheid. In light of the current genocide happening in Gaza, People for Palestine urges the New Zealand government to impose immediate economic, diplomatic and military sanctions on Israel, grant humanitarian visas to family members of New Zealand Palestinians and publicly reinstate our funding for the United Nations Relief & Works Agency (UNRWA).

https://cpj.org/2024/03/news-outlets-express-solidarity-with-journalists-in-gaza/amp/

© Scoop Media