OUR screens have been filled with videos of horror and despair coming out of Gaza.
Amid the ongoing war against the people of Gaza, a nine-year-old girl has emerged as an aspiring journalist.
Lama Jamous has captured the hearts of nearly 100 000 people on Instagram as she tells the stories of her people under the occupation of Israel. She's already gone viral.
@snl24sa Meet Lama Jamous - she’s a nine-year-old aspiring journalist from Gaza ????. #SNL24 #news #Gaza ? original sound - SNL24
Her most viewed Instagram reel has reached 2,4 million views. It is of her interviewing Al Jazeera Arabic's bureau chief in Gaza Wael Al-Dahdouh. He was reporting live in Gaza when he discovered that an Israeli air raid had killed his wife, son, daughter, grandson, and at least eight other relatives.
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In the video, the young girl asks the Al Jazeera journalist what his message is to everyone in Gaza.
Al-Dahdouh said: “We are going through an extremely difficult and decisive time, where the Palestinian people are paying a high and painful price. There are martyrs, destruction, and fragments. But at the same time, God willing, our people are patient and will overcome this obstacle as long as there are people like you, smiling. We will overcome this ordeal.”
Journalist deaths
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said as of 10 December, 63 journalists and media workers have been killed since Israel officially declared war on Gaza on 7 October 2023.
The war on Gaza has been the deadliest yet for journalists on record, said CPJ. Despite this, Lama dreams of being a journalist.
As of 10 December, CPJ’s preliminary investigations showed at least 63 journalists and media workers were among the more than 18 000 people killed since 7 October, with more than 17 000 Palestinian deaths in Gaza and the West Bank and 1 200 deaths in Israel.
The deadliest day of the war for journalist deaths was its first day, October 7, with six journalists killed; the second-deadliest day occurred on November 18, with five killed, the CPJ stated.
As of December 10:
· 63 journalists and media workers were confirmed dead: 56 Palestinian, 4 Israeli, and 3 Lebanese.
· 11 journalists were reported injured.
· 3 journalists were reported missing.
· 19 journalists were reported arrested.
· Multiple assaults, threats, cyberattacks, censorship, and killings of family members.
