Fatima Hassouna: The Voice Behind the Lens, Silenced Too Soon

Fatima Hassouna was not just a photojournalist — she was a witness, a daughter of Gaza, and a voice for the voiceless. At only 25 years old, she carried her camera into the heart of one of the world’s most dangerous war zones, not for fame or recognition, but to show the world what it often refused to see. On April 16, 2025, Fatima was killed in an Israeli airstrike that obliterated her family home in Gaza City. Along with her, ten members of her family, including her pregnant sister, were also lost. Her camera is now still. But her story, and what she stood for, must not be forgotten.

In one of her last posts, Fatima wrote hauntingly: “If I die, I want a loud death… an impact that will remain through time.” Her words now echo with painful clarity. Fatima’s photographs captured raw moments of joy, sorrow, and unrelenting resilience in a land under siege. Through her lens, the world saw Gaza not as a headline, but as a home — full of life, love, and loss.

Fatima’s courage was not just in facing danger; it was in choosing to stay. Even as bombs fell and friends were buried, she kept working, believing that the truth was worth risking everything for. Her life and work were set to be honored in the documentary Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk, which was selected for the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. The announcement came just one day before her death. At the festival, actress Juliette Binoche mourned her, saying, “She should have been with us tonight.” The world is left asking why she isn’t.

Fatima Hassouna’s death is part of a horrifying pattern in Gaza, where journalists are increasingly being killed simply for doing their job. But she was not just another number. She was a storyteller, a truth-seeker, a soul unafraid to stand in the fire. Her voice was silenced, but her impact resounds. Through her images, her words, and the life she lived with fearless conviction, Fatima Hassouna has ensured that the world cannot look away.