• His coverage was raw, unfiltered videos about civilian impact of Israeli aggression
• At least 83 journalists have been killed in Gaza since October 7: CPJ

“OUR smile is a kind of resilience,” said Motaz Azaiza in one his Instagram stories where he is smiling bright with pain evident in his eyes. After covering the Israeli aggression with utmost bravery for 104 days, he had to bid farewell to his homeland with ‘a heavy heart’ and ‘eyes filled with tears.’

Mr Azaiza, an independent Palestinian photojournalist who extensively documented the impact of war and wide scale destruction of Gaza has evacuated the strip and is now in Doha, Qatar.

On Tuesday, Mr Azaiza announced on Instagram that he was leaving the besieged strip, later boarding a Qatari military aircraft at Egypt’s El Arish International Airport.

“This is the last time you will see me with this heavy, stinky [press] vest. I decided to evacuate today. … Hopefully soon I’ll jump back and help to build Gaza again,” he said in his video which was recorded in Hebrew.

The 24-year-old freelance photographer who was forced onto the frontlines by the horrors of war as most foreign reporters were denied access to Gaza, gained global attention when he recorded himself wearing a press vest and helmet to report on the conditions during the war in Israel. The conflict has resulted in the deaths of over 25,000 people in Gaza.

His coverage often took the form of raw, unfiltered videos about injured children or people crushed under rubble in the aftermath of Israeli aggression.

Mr Azaiza’s Instagram account was a transition of how a city went from lights and joy to death, grief and loss.

An unsung hero

Since the beginning of the war, the photojournalist has gathered millions of followers on various platforms. According to social media analytics by Al Jazeera, his Instagram following has surged from approximately 27,500 to 18.25 million in over 100 days since October 7.

Similarly, his Facebook account, starting from a comparable number, has expanded to nearly 500,000 followers. On X, formerly known as Twitter, he now boasts a following of 1m.

Born and raised in the Deir Al-Balah Refugee Camp in Gaza, he completed his studies in English Language and Literature at Al-Azhar University, a place that rests in shattered remnants due to Israeli’s airstrikes. He faced unemployment for a brief period of time post-graduation, therefore he created his Instagram account show his land and its people in a positive light.

However, he did document Israel’s aggression in both 2014 and 2021.

“I miss taking photographs of children playing on the swings, the elderly smiling, families gathering, the sights of nature and the sea, my beautiful Gaza. I miss all of that, and it pains me to remember it,” he said in one of his videos.

Amidst bloodshed and deaths, he also recorded the resilience of Gazans. In one of his videos, journalists can be seen sitting around the table excited to have a traditional Palestinian meal.

He also documented himself among Palestinian children, all displaying peace signs, accompanied by the caption: “We teach you life, people’.

Mr Azaiza gained global recognition from international publications like Time, GQ, and Vogue Arabia. GQ Middle East honoured him as the 2023 Man of the Year. Vogue Arabia’s November 2023 issue paid tribute to Azaiza, Plestia Alaqad, Youmna El-Qunsol, Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah, and Dr Mohammed Al Ghoula, applauding their heroic commitment amid Gaza’s humanitarian crisis. Time Magazine featured one of Mr Azaiza’s photographs in its annual top 10 photos list.

What his evacuation means?

His decision to evacuate took everyone by surprise since he was one of the most popular voices on the ground who opened a window inside Gaza for the rest of the world.

He not only risked his life while covering the aggression from the frontlines, but also time to time shared that his life was under constant threat.

He shared several videos of attacks in his neighbourhood, and often at night he would post stories on Instagram recording the voices of airstrikes in dark.

He once shared a post where he was sleeping on footpath, accompanied by the caption: “20 days ago, I was sleeping peacefully in my bed, eating the best food and doing what I love the most. Now, I haven’t showered in a week, sleeping on this footpath and recording bloodshed from my camera.”

As of Jan 24, at least 83 journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza since Israel began its attacks on the strip, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)’s preliminary investigations.

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2024