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Being a “Witness” in Gaza
Explore The Witness, a powerful record of Israel’s genocide in Gaza told through firsthand accounts.

Introduction

Introduction
December 26, 2023, Rafah-Gaza (AA - Abed Zagout)

Since October 2023, the Israeli government has launched numerous attacks against Palestinians in Gaza. These assaults have resulted in the loss of many civilian lives, particularly among women, children, and the elderly, and have caused widespread destruction. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague has also confirmed that these attacks have involved numerous war crimes and human rights violations.

In response to this situation, global powers, particularly the US and the EU, have offered political protection to the Israeli government on the grounds of the “right to self-defense,” rather than taking action to prevent the attacks. Additionally, major Western international media outlets have displayed a tendency to downplay the Israeli government’s actions, obfuscating their crimes.

Throughout this ordeal, it was the diligent and courageous efforts of esteemed members of the press, including a significant number of Anadolu Ajansı (AA) reporters, who ensured that the cries of war were heard firsthand, shedding light on the atrocities committed against the Palestinian people in Gaza for the international community. Since October 2023, more than 200 of our colleagues have lost their lives. To put this number into perspective, consider that in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War, which is in its third year, 21 journalists have lost their lives, and during the six-year Second World War, 69 journalists lost their lives.

The testimonies of our colleagues who have been closely monitoring the developments in Gaza have captured the attention of the international community. These accounts have also provided crucial evidence that has enabled war crimes to be brought before international judicial authorities. At this stage, THE WITNESS has emerged as a continuation of Anadolu Ajansı’s previous publication, THE EVIDENCE, which was also submitted to the court as evidence during the hearings in The Hague.

THE WITNESS brings together the voices of our colleagues, who provided crucial evidence of the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Gaza, along with those of humanitarian workers and individuals from various walks of life who, despite the extremely challenging conditions of war, were still available to speak. This new initiative brings together testimonies of both suffering and hope from the region, shedding light on the human dimension of the conflict through the experiences of those who witnessed the most devastating moments of the attacks.

THE WITNESS aims to document the human tragedies resulting from the Israeli government’s assaults through firsthand testimonies, while also serving as a valuable resource for understanding and evaluating this crucial period in human history.

Taking this opportunity, I wish to honor the memory of over 200 journalists who have tragically lost their lives, particularly AA cameramen Montaser al-Sawwaf, Hasan Hamad, and Saed Abu Nabhan, who lost their lives in the line of duty on December 1, 2023, October 6, 2024, and January 10, 2025 (Working Journalists Day), respectively. Al-Sawwaf was killed on the day the Israeli army resumed its attacks following a brief humanitarian pause, Hamad lost his life in an Israeli bombardment, and Abu Nabhan was murdered by an Israeli sniper in a targeted attack. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to my journalist colleagues, who have undertaken the historic responsibility of bringing the war crimes committed in Gaza to the attention of the international community.

While the conflict may one day come to an end, the crimes against humanity and war crimes perpetrated by the Israeli government in Gaza will never be forgotten. This dark chapter will remain etched in history for as long as the world exists.

Serdar Karagöz
President & CEO of Anadolu
Mahmoud Darwish (1941-2008)
October 23, 2023, Gaza City-Palestine (AA - Ali Jadallah)
Restore to me the color of face
And the warmth of body
The light of heart and eye
The salt of bread and rhythm
The taste of earth...
the Motherland.
Mahmoud Darwish (1941-2008)
English translation - B. M. Bennani

Being a Witness in Gaza

The Gaza Strip, housing approximately 2.3 million Palestinians, has been under Israeli siege by air, land, and sea since 2007. Described as “the world’s largest open-air prison” due to the stringent embargo conditions imposed, the Gaza Strip has been a recurrent target of large-scale Israeli military attacks, most notably during the Cast Lead (2008), Pillar of Cloud (2012), and Protective Edge (2014) operations. Throughout these assaults, there were documented violations of international law and human rights. However, the attacks initiated by the far-right government under Prime Minister Netanyahu on October 2023, have dramatically worsened the living conditions of the region’s inhabitants, marking one of the darkest chapters in the history of the Gaza Strip and Palestine as a whole.

The events in Gaza, encompassing numerous war crimes such as the use of prohibited weapons, massacres of civilians, bombing of hospitals, places of worship, schools, ambulances, UN headquarters, and infrastructure facilities, as well as the systematic continuation of these crimes, have escalated to genocidal proportions.

In the attacks, where tens of thousands of individuals have lost their lives, hundreds of families have been entirely wiped from the population register as all their members were killed, and over 40 thousand children have been orphaned. Parents resorted to writing their children’s names on their arms, a desperate measure to facilitate identification in case their bodies became casualties of Israeli bombings. A staggering 2 million out of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million have been displaced as a result of these relentless attacks. Even those Gazans who sought refuge in areas declared safe by the Israeli army were not spared, as they became targets in the very places they sought shelter.

As a result of the Israeli army’s restrictions on the entry of aid trucks, Gazans have been thrust into hunger and famine in full view of the international community. The impact is poignantly illustrated by a Palestinian father in northern Gaza, brought to tears of joy upon receiving a sack of flour during an aid distribution - an emotional moment etched into memories. Due to the obstruction of aid, even the animal feed sold in the markets of northern Gaza for making flour has run out. Yet, the Israeli military persistently denied entry of aid to the region for an extended period. Even after granting permission, they occasionally bombed those who came to receive aid.

The Israeli military, in addition to targeting women and children, has also aimed at health workers, journalists, and civilian rescue workers, all of whom are supposed to be protected under international law. Paramedics and ambulances dispatched to attacked locations for the transportation of the wounded to hospitals have faced numerous attacks. Several hospitals in Gaza were besieged by Israeli forces using tanks and armored vehicles for extended periods before being raided. Raids on hospitals resulted in the deaths of many health workers, at times by Israeli soldiers disguised as doctors and nurses. A significant number of health workers have been subjected to detention and torture, and the fate of some remains unknown.

Numerous journalists attempting to cover the events in the region lost their lives in Israeli military attacks. AA cameramen Montaser al-Sawwaf, Hasan Hamad and Saed Abu Nabhan, Al Jazeera cameraman Samir Abu Dhaka, and Palestinian TV reporter Mohammed Abu Hatab are just a few among the more than 200 journalists killed in Israeli army attacks so far.

Comprising the testimonies of those directly affected by these crimes, THE WITNESS stands as a collection of accounts inscribed on the pages of history, serving as a testament against the Netanyahu administration, hich has demonstrated a complete disregard for human rights and the principles of war in its indiscriminate attacks targeting civilians. More importantly, it stands as a stark critique of the skewed international system, which is incapable of preventing such tragedies in the 21st century.

Witnesses of Genocide
It is the dedicated work of the press, particularly photojournalists and reporters from Anadolu Agency (AA), who often jeopardize their lives in the fearless execution of their duties, that has brought the crimes against the people of Gaza to the forefront of the international community’s awareness. Our colleagues, diligently and responsibly tracking the developments in the Gaza Strip, where the worst mass murder of journalists in history is being committed, have offered firsthand testimonies, enlightening the global audience about the ongoing tragedy. Simultaneously, through these unwavering efforts, decisive evidence has been amassed, enabling the detection and presentation of these crimes to international judicial authorities.
THE WITNESS shifts its focus to the "witnesses" who bring to light the war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated in Gaza. These heroes operate under incredibly challenging conditions where carrying out their duties entails working amidst the imminent danger of death.
THE WITNESS delves into the human stories that underlie THE EVIDENCE, which formed a basis for the international pursuit of justice against the Netanyahu-led Israeli administration's war crimes in the Gaza Strip, a crisis that has now reached genocidal proportions.
The testimonies of Gazans, subjected to ceaseless violence day and night, targeted wherever they take refuge -ranging from hospitals to aid organizations, refugee camps to border points- and condemned to mass starvation, unveil the criminal record of the Netanyahu administration. Comprising testimonies from various segments of Gazan society, particularly Palestinian and Turkish journalists, THE WITNESS paints a picture of shame for powerful entities that not only failed to prevent this tragedy, but also turned a blind eye to it and extended political protection.