“You get to the point where you feel it's useless. But you have to show the world what's happening,” says reporter Youmna ElSayed

In a war that has seen more than 19,000 deaths, predominantly among civilians, the perilous role of journalists in the Gaza Strip has been starkly highlighted. As the Israel-Hamas conflict intensifies, the death toll of media workers escalates, making it one of the deadliest wars for journalists in recent history. 

Among those journalists is Youmna ElSayed, an Al Jazeera English correspondent, who recently received a chilling warning from the IDF — a reminder of the direct threats faced by reporters in the region. 

In “These journalists from Gaza risk their lives to cover the Israel-Hamas war,” Matthew Leake delves into the harrowing experiences of ElSayed and her colleagues, who brave extreme dangers to cover the conflict. Their stories are not just about the physical risks but also about the psychological toll of reporting in such a volatile environment. 

From facing threats and personal attacks to grappling with the moral dilemmas of reporting amidst widespread devastation, these journalists embody the essence of bravery and commitment to the truth. As they navigate through the chaos, their narratives offer a raw and unfiltered glimpse into the realities of war journalism.

“​​If you wear your flak jacket and your helmet, you have the press logo, and you are moving with a car that has the TV logo, even all of that doesn't protect you,” she says. ElSayed goes even further. She believes her protective equipment effectively puts a target on her back: “We got to the point where wearing our press vests seems like putting ourselves in danger. We’re afraid to wear them because we don't want to label ourselves as journalists.”

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Matthew Leake graduated with a BA (Hons) in American Studies from the University of Sussex. He also has an NCTJ Postgraduate Diploma in Newspaper Journalism and a Chartered Institute of Marketing Diploma in Professional Marketing.

Leake started working at the Reuters Institute in September 2018. Prior to that, he worked in international higher education marketing and student recruitment, with a focus on the Middle East, at Oxford Brookes University. He has also held various roles at ForesightNews, American Express, and HIV and Aids NGO AVERT.