Two women journalists in Gaza. Photo: Filistiniyat
How IMS approaches support and communication for Gaza
Just over a year into Israel’s current war on Gaza, IMS Executive Director Jesper Højberg shares some of the internal deliberations that led IMS to settle on the mode of support and communication around the war that we have pursued ever since.
Shortly after Israeli bombs began to fall on Gaza in the wake of Hamas’ attack in October 2023, it became clear that this was a war like no other in terms of the speed at which journalists were being killed. In that sense, silence was never an option.
Equally, it was clear that mincing our words would defeat the purpose. We have thus consistently made a point out of expressing ourselves in unequivocal terms whenever we speak up about the war’s impact on the safety of journalists; the ability of media in Gaza to function; and, of course, on Gaza’s civilians.
In essence, IMS relies on three core tenets whenever talking about events in Gaza:
- Always take a point of departure from our mission and mandate to promote press freedom and access to information, and to help keep journalists safe.
- Insist that a for a rules-based international order and its associated legal principles to have any meaning, those principles must be applied universally.
- Convey local perspectives wherever possible.
With regard to the first point, our focus has consistently been on the war’s consequences for journalists, who play a vital role in providing life-saving information within Gaza, keeping the outside world informed of the ongoing atrocities and documenting potential war crimes.
As for the second point, we have always rigorously anchored our commentary in the relevant components of international law, especially the right of journalists to be protected along with other civilians and the clear prohibition of targeting journalists.
As for the third and perhaps most important point, wherever possible we rely on those amid the man-made disaster in Gaza to convey their experience of the realities on the ground. That’s why we have consistently worked with our partners in Palestine to reach out to their networks of journalists in Gaza, including those appearing in this video.
After 12 months of bombing; plausible accusations of genocide; well over 40,000 dead, including at least 123 journalists killed with many more injured, missing, displaced and having lost loved ones; systematic destruction of media outlets; and an ongoing ban on foreign reporters entering Gaza, my message to world leaders remains the same:
It is way overdue to put real and effective pressure on Israel to cease its war on Gaza and its relentless attacks on Palestinian journalists and journalism.
