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August 28, 2025 – Palestine –
The latest Haaretz column highlights a deeply unsettling reality: Western media is failing Gaza—treating local journalists not as valued colleagues, but as disposable headlines. Khoudary, the author, accuses foreign outlets of rapidly discarding their commitment to Gaza-based reporters once tragedy strikes, abandoning them instead of standing by a shared humanity.
This collapse of trust carries grave consequences. As Gaza has become the deadliest place for journalists in the 21st century, with over 170 to 220 local reporters and media workers killed since late 2023, Palestinian journalists have borne the brunt of frontline reporting. They are the indispensable eyes of the world—but every broadcast casualty number risks becoming merely another headline, rarely prompting meaningful support or protection.
Khoudary’s critique is especially potent within this context. The systemic failure to support local journalists—both in terms of advocacy and coverage—drives a wedge between Gaza’s reporters and the institutions that claim solidarity with them. The repeated losses of colleagues amplify a sense of abandonment, reinforcing the belief that for some foreign media, Gaza’s journalists exist only until they’re no longer useful.
This disconnect also reinforces a broader power imbalance. Western media’s reliance on local journalists, paired with their reluctance to fully commit to their safety or their stories, effectively signals that Palestinian lives—and those reporting on them—are inferior in perceived value. It begs a deeper reckoning: if foreign media outlets cannot truly stand with Gaza’s journalists, can they honestly claim to report in solidarity?
As the violence escalates, the too-common narrative is clear: local journalists in Gaza are not only targets of war, but also victims of media indifference. A recalibration of media ethics is overdue—one that refuses to let disposable headlines replace indispensable human lives.
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