A solitary, fragile tent made from thin tarpaulin stands amidst scattered, blood-stained blue helmets and vests emblazoned with the word “PRESS.” Broken cellphones, laptops, camcorders, and various debris litter the area, evoking the harsh reality of a conflict zone.
Yet, this is not an actual battlefield. This poignant installation serves as the backdrop for a two-day conference hosted by Al Jazeera, which commenced on Wednesday to shed light on the grave risks journalists face while covering armed conflicts.
Situated outside the sharp-edged conference center of the Sheraton Grand hotel in Doha’s affluent West Bay district, the display confronts visitors with the stark dangers confronting media professionals.
Inside the venue, an LCD screen loops footage of Al Jazeera reporters clad in those iconic blue vests, reporting from Gaza. The video transitions to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shaking hands with an Israeli soldier, followed by scenes of demonstrators waving Palestinian flags and holding signs accusing Netanyahu of war crimes.
Along one wall, a memorial panel stretches the length of the hall, featuring photographs and names of Al Jazeera journalists who have been wounded or killed while covering the conflict in Gaza-a war now entering its initial peace phase between Hamas and Israel.
Among the most recent casualties is Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif, who was intentionally targeted in an Israeli strike on a press tent in Gaza City on August 10. This attack also claimed the lives of an Al Jazeera correspondent, two camera operators, and two freelance journalists.
Opposite this, another panel honors Al Jazeera journalists who lost their lives reporting from conflict zones worldwide, including Rasheed Wali, who died in Karbala, Iraq, in 2004, and Mohammad al-Masalmeh, killed in Syria’s Deraa in 2013 during the civil war.
This somber tribute underscores that the Gaza conflict-with nearly 300 journalists and media workers killed, including 10 from Al Jazeera, according to the Shireen Abu Akleh Observatory-is part of a broader, tragic pattern of journalists perishing while covering wars.
Louise Alluin Bichet, director of projects and emergency response at Reporters Without Borders (RSF), emphasized at the conference that Gaza represents a critical turning point for journalists.
She explained that while reporters once depended on protective gear like bulletproof vests to avoid accidental harm while covering conflicts, they are now increasingly being targeted deliberately.
“No matter the level of body armor, it offers no guarantee,” she stated.
Maryam bint Abdullah Al-Attiyah, chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), condemned the blatant violations of international law during the Gaza war, highlighting that journalists have been intentionally targeted and killed.
Journalists Facing Direct Threats
The conference was inaugurated by Al Jazeera Arabic anchor M’hamed Krichen, who presented a harrowing video showing smoke rising in Gaza as journalists come under fire.
“Journalists have become the story themselves,” Krichen remarked, as footage played of Wael Dahdouh, Al Jazeera’s Gaza bureau chief, writhing in agony after an attack. Dahdouh has tragically lost multiple family members, including his wife and children, in the conflict.
The video then shifted to Samer Abudaqa, an Al Jazeera cameraman fatally wounded in an Israeli strike in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, in December 2023. Krichen recounted how Abudaqa bled for six hours while Israeli forces obstructed ambulance access.
“Al Jazeera has bid farewell to many of its own,” Krichen said solemnly.
Sheikh Nasser bin Faisal Al Thani, the newly appointed director general of Al Jazeera Media Network, stressed that safeguarding journalists must be the foremost concern for media organizations worldwide.
“Failing to protect journalists means war crimes will go unrecorded,” he warned. “Defending journalists is defending the truth itself.”
Both Witness and Victim
Wael Dahdouh, one of Al Jazeera’s most recognized correspondents during the early stages of the war, has suffered severe injuries and devastating personal losses. He was evacuated to Qatar in December 2023 for medical treatment.
Dahdouh described the situation in Gaza as “complete genocide.”
On October 25, 2023, an Israeli airstrike hit a home in central Gaza where Dahdouh’s family had sought refuge. The attack killed several close relatives, including his wife, son, daughter, and grandson.
“Journalists are being murdered, and genocide is being perpetrated against them,” Dahdouh told the conference, gesturing emphatically with his left hand while his right hand remains injured.
He spoke candidly about the immense challenge of reporting amid such personal tragedy.
“When your family is torn apart before your eyes, a volcano erupts inside you. You want to fight back, but you must stay professional and continue your work,” he said.
After burying his wife and children, Dahdouh told his injured son and daughter, “I’m returning to Gaza City to keep reporting. What will you do?”
“We’ll come with you. We either live or die together,” they replied.
Tragedy struck again when Dahdouh’s eldest son, Hamza, 27, also a journalist, was killed by an Israeli missile in Khan Younis in January 2024.
Journalists in Lebanon, where Israel launched significant attacks in late 2024 targeting Hezbollah and causing over 1,000 deaths, have faced similar dangers.
Nakhle Odaime, a correspondent and presenter at MTV Lebanon, chose to continue reporting despite the risks.
“I recorded a video, thinking it might be my last. The truth must reach the people,” he told the conference.
“Act Now or Face a Bleaker Future”
Although international law classifies journalists as civilians who should never be targeted during conflicts, there is a crucial distinction.
“Civilians can flee the battlefield, but journalists must remain to report,” explained Omar Mekky, regional legal coordinator for the Near and Middle East at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). “Equating war journalists with civilians is inaccurate.”
Therefore, Mekky and others, including Fadi El Abdallah from the International Criminal Court (ICC), called for explicit legal protections for journalists in war zones.
They also advocated broadening the definition of “journalist” in today’s digital age, where anyone with a smartphone or social media platform can report from conflict areas.
Renaud Gaudin de Villaine, a human rights officer at the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), emphasized the need for special safeguards for female journalists, who face unique forms of violence in conflict zones.
Ultimately, Louise Alluin Bichet from RSF stressed that political commitment from governments is essential.
“Support must come from states capable of exerting pressure,” she said.
Doja Daoud, regional program coordinator at the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), warned of the urgency.
“If we fail to act now, the situation will deteriorate further tomorrow.”
