Killing the messengers
Israel’s assault on the truth
Today marks two years of Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza, where 90 percent of the 2.3 million population has been displaced, and many Palestinians have been displaced multiple times.
Gaza has been reduced to rubble by the Israeli state. The official count is 67,000 Palestinians killed by Israel in the last two years, with independent studies suggesting that the actual number of deaths is significantly higher from disease and starvation.
Israel has targeted and crippled the healthcare sector in Gaza, with less than a third of the hospitals left partially functioning. The water and sanitation systems are on the brink of total collapse. The education infrastructure has been decimated, with almost all of the schools and universities damaged or destroyed. Estimates are that 70 percent of all structures and almost 90 percent of housing units have been damaged or destroyed. Gaza’s cultural and religious institutions, museums and libraries, mosques and churches, have been bombed and looted of historical documents and ancient artifacts that date back to the fourteenth century.
For those who are able and willing to bypass the legacy media’s dishonest coverage and disingenuous debates, they have been able to see, hear, and read for themselves a clearer picture of what has been a live-streamed genocide over the past two years that was built on a foundation of 75 years of Israel’s continuous crimes against the humanity of the Palestinian people.
Israel has banned international journalists since October 7, 2023, from independent access in Gaza. Western journalists are only allowed to cover what is directly happening in Gaza if they agree to be embedded with the Israeli military and their coverage has to be approved by the military censors.
The old ways of relying on the legacy media in Western countries to ignore historical context and parrot Israeli talking points have also been undermined by the growing presence of alternative media. The implicit bias and Islamophobia that are rooted in much of the political establishment’s narrative are present strategically in Israel’s decision to restrict media access to Palestinian journalists that they could conceal their genocidal actions by attacking the messengers as not trustworthy, not objective, and make false accusations of terrorist ties has been less effective with a younger generation that has been raised at a distance from the re-established myths of Zionism born out of Western guilt over the holocaust, whose political consciousness was formed from the lies presented during the “War on Terror”, multiple capitalist economic collapses, a mishandled pandemic, and social uprisings from the Arab Spring to the Black Lives Matter movement.
Israel has adjusted to this new reality by targeting and killing more journalists and media workers over the last two years than any other country since we started keeping records on this matter. As of October 2025, Israel has killed more than 300 journalists in Palestine, Lebanon, Iran, Syria, and Yemen during the genocide. They have done so with the complicity and silence of much of the political and media establishment in the United States and throughout the Western world. They have instead worked alongside these institutions to assist in the censorship of pro-Palestinian speech, and the crackdown on pro-Palestinian student protests. The attempts to initially ban TikTok and, since, force its sale to a pro-Trump and Zionist ownership group for the U.S. audience version of the app have been done in the service of restricting pro-Palestinian content on the platform.
It has been left to the tireless and relentless pursuit of the truth by mostly Palestinian journalists in Gaza and the West Bank at great risk to their own lives that they continue to share and tell these stories. We mourn the more than 300 journalists who have been murdered alongside their partners, family members, friends, and neighbors as part of the Israeli genocidal campaign, with gratitude for their life’s work by sharing their names with our audience here. And we honor their mission by supporting and sharing the superior journalism that will continue to be done every day in Gaza and in the West Bank by the bravest of journalists who refuse to be silenced in the face of Zionist terror, and who will not stop advocating for the Palestinian story to stay alive until we all get to witness the liberation of Palestine.
—William Gifis on behalf of the Tempest Editorial Board
In Palestine
Mohammad Al-Salhi – October 7, 2023
Mohammad Jarghoun – October 7, 2023
Ibrahim Mohammad Lafi – October 7, 2023
Assaad Shamlakh – October 8, 2023
Hisham Alnwajha – October 10, 2023
Mohammed Sobh – October 10, 2023
Saeed Al-Taweel – October 10, 2023
Mohamed Fayez Abu Matar – October 11, 2023
Ahmed Shehab – October 12, 2023
Husam Mubarak – October 13, 2023
Salam Mema – October 13, 2023
Yousef Maher Dawas – October 14, 2023
Abdlhadi Habib – October 16, 2023
Issam Bhar – October 17, 2023
Mohammad Balousha – October 17, 2023
Sameeh Al-Nady – October 18, 2023
Khalil Abu Athra – October 19, 2023
Mohammed Abu Ali – October 20, 2023
Hani Madhoun – October 21, 2023
Roshdi Sarraj – October 22, 2023
Mohammed Imad Labad – October 23, 2023
Salma Mukhaimer – October 25, 2023
Ahmed Abu Mhadi – October 25, 2023
Saed al-Halabi – October 25, 2023
Jamal Al-Faqaawi – October 25, 2023
Zaher Al-Afghani – October 25, 2023
Duaa Sharaf – October 26, 2023
Yasser Abu Namous – October 27, 2023
Nazmi Al-Nadim – October 30, 2023
Majed Kashko – October 31, 2023
Imad Al-Wahidi – October 31, 2023
Iyad Matar – November 1, 2023
Majd Arandas – November 1, 2023
Muhammad Abu Hatab – November 2, 2023
Mohamad Al-Bayyari – November 2, 2023
Haitham Harara – November 3, 2023
Mohamed Al Jaja – November 5, 2023
Mohamed Abu Hassira – November 7, 2023
Yahya Abu Manih – November 7, 2023
Ahmed Al-Qara – November 10, 2023
Yaacoub Al-Barsh – November 13, 2023
Ahmed Fatima – November 13, 2023
Mossab Ashour – November 18, 2023
Amro Salah Abu Hayah – November 18, 2023
Mostafa El Sawaf – November 18, 2023
Hassouneh Salim – November 18, 2023
Sari Mansour – November 18, 2023
Abdelhalim Awad – November 18, 2023
Belal Jadallah – November 19, 2023
Alaa Taher Al-Hassanat – November 20, 2023
Ayat Khadoura – November 20, 2023
Jamal Hanieh – November 21, 2023
Mohamed Nabil Al-Zaq – November 22, 2023
Assem Al-Barsh – November 22, 2023
Mohamed Mouin Ayyash – November 23, 2023
Mostafa Bakeer – November 24, 2023
Amal Zahed – November 24, 2023
Nader Al-Nazli – November 25, 2023
Adham Hassouna – December 1, 2023
Montaser Al-Sawaf – December 1, 2023
Marwan Al-Sawaf – December 1, 2023
Abdullah Darwish – December 1, 2023
Shaima El-Gazzar – December 3, 2023
Hassan Farajallah – December 3, 2023
Hamada al-Yaziji – December 3, 2023
Abdul Hamid al-Qarnawi – December 4, 2023
Saeed Al-Shorbaji – December 7, 2023
Ola Atallah – December 9, 2023
Mohamed Abu Samra – December 9, 2023
Duaa Jabbour – December 9, 2023
Narmeen Qawwas – December 11, 2023
Hanan Ayyad – December 13, 2023
Abdel Kareem Odeh – December 13, 2023
Ahmed Abu Absa – December 13, 2023
Samer Abu Daqqa – December 15, 2023
Rami Badir – December 15, 2023
Assem Moussa – December 17, 2023
Haneen Kashtan – December 17, 2023
Abdallah Alwan – December 18, 2023
Adel Zorob – December 19, 2023
Ala Abu Muammar – December 21, 2023
Mohamed Khalifeh – December 22, 2023
Mohamed Naser Abu Huwaidi – December 23, 2023
Ahmad Jamal Al Madhoun – December 24, 2023
Mohamed Azzaytouniyah – December 24, 2023
Mohamad Al-Iff – December 24, 2023
Ahmed Khair al-Din – December 28, 2023
Mohammad Khair al-Din – December 28, 2023
Jabr Abu Hadros – December 29, 2023
Narmeem Harboush – December 30, 2023
Hamza al-Dahdouh – January 7, 2024
Mustafa Thuraya – January 7, 2024
Abu Ali Ajwa – January 7, 2024
Abdullah Baris – January 8, 2024
Muhammad Abu Dayer – January 8, 2024
Heba Al-Abadla – January 9, 2024
Shareef Okasha – January 9, 2024
Ahmed Badir – January 10, 2024
Mohamed Jamal Sobhi Al-Thalathini – January 11, 2024
Yazan Al-Zuweidi – January 14, 2024
Wael Fanouneh – January 18, 2024
Karam Ahmed Abu Ajiram – January 21, 2024
Eyad al-Rawagh – January 26, 2024
Iyad Ahmed al-Rawag – January 27, 2024
Mohammed Atallah – January 29, 2024
Rizq Al-Gharabli – February 7, 2024
Nafez Abdel Jawad – February 8, 2024
Yasser Mamdouh El-Fady – February 11, 2024
Angam Ahmad Edwan – February 12, 2024
Ala’a al-Hums – February 12, 2024
Ayman Al-Rafati – February 14, 2024
Zayd Abu Zayed – February 15, 2024
Ihab Nasrallah – February 21, 2024
Mohamed Yaghi – February 23, 2024
Mohamed Salama – March 5, 2024
Abdul Rahman Saima – March 14, 2024
Mohamed El-Reefi – March 15, 2024
Saher Akram Rayan – March 25, 2024
Mohammad Abu Sukheil – March 29, 2024
Amna Hamid – April 24, 2024
Mohammed Bassam Al Jamal – April 25, 2024
Ayman Mohamad Al-Gharbawi – April 26, 2024
Ibrahim Mohamad Al-Gharbawi – April 26, 2024
Salem Abu Toyour – April 29, 2024
Mustafa Ayyad – May 6, 2024
Bahaa Okasha – May 11, 2024
Amna Mahmoud Hamid – May 16, 2024
Moataz Mustafa Al-Ghafrit – May 16, 2024
Mahmoud Jahjouh – May 16, 2024
Hael Al-Najjar – May 16, 2024
Ola al-Dahdouh – June 1, 2024
Abdullah Ahmed Al-Jamal – June 9, 2024
Ahlam Ezzat Al-Ajla – June 9, 2024
Dina Abdullah Al-Batniji – June 9, 2024
Mahmoud Qassem – June 17, 2024
Salim al-Sharafa – June. 20, 2024
Muhammad Mahmoud Abu Sharia – July 1, 2024
Ahmad Sukar – July 5, 2024
Saadi Madoukh – July 5, 2024
Rizq Abu Ashkian – July 6, 2024
Amjad Jahjouh – July 6, 2024
Wafa Abu Dabaan – July 6, 2024
Muhammad Manhal Abu Armana – July 13, 2024
Muhammad Abdullah Mishmish – July 16, 2024
Muhammad Abu Jasser – July 20, 2024
Mutasim Mahmoud Gharab – July 21, 2024
Haider Ibrahim al-Masdar – July 22, 2024
Ismail al-Ghoul – July 31, 2024
Rami al-Rifee – July 31, 2024
Mohammed Issa Abu Saada – August 6, 2024
Tamim Muammar – August 9, 2024
Ibrahim Muharab – August 19, 2024
Hamza Abdul Rahman Murtaja – August 20, 2024
Hussam al-Dabbaka – August 22, 2024
Medo Halimy – August 26, 2024
Ali Tuaima – August 26, 2024
Mohamed Abd Rabbo – August 28, 2024
Abdullah Shakshak – September 15, 2024
Wafa Al-Udaini – September 30, 2024
Hassan Hamad – October 6, 2024
Abdul Rahman Bahr – October 6, 2024
Mohammed Tanani – October 9, 2024
Omar al-Balawi – October 9, 2024
Ayman Muhammad Ruwaished – October 14, 2024
Saed Radwan – October 27, 2024
Hamza Abu Salmiya – October 27, 2024
Haneen Baroud – October 27, 2024
Bilal Rajab – November 1, 2024
Baraa Ali Daghish – November 2, 2024
Khaled Abu Zir – November 8, 2024
Ahmed Abu Sakhil – November 9, 2024
Zahra Abu Sakhil – November 9, 2024
Mohammed Khreis – November 11, 2024
Mahdi al-Mamluk – November 11, 2024
Mohammed Saleh al-Sharif – November 16, 2024
Ahmed Abu Sharia – November 19, 2024
Mahmoud al-Khatib – November 20, 2024
Abdul Rahim al-Tahrawi – November 20, 2024
Wael Abu Quffa – November 22, 2024
Alaa Fawzi Barhoum – November 27, 2024
Mamdouh Quneita – November 30, 2024
Maysara Ahmed Salah – December 1, 2024
Mohammad Hijazi – December 5, 2024
Iman al-Shanti – December 11, 2024
Mohammed Baalousha – December 14, 2024
Mohammed Jaber Al-Qerainawi – December 14, 2024
Ahmed al-Louh – December 15, 2024
Hazem Abu Arqoub – December 21, 2024
Fadi Hassouna – December 26, 2024
Ibrahim Al-Sheikh Ali – December 26, 2024
Ayman Al-Jadi – December 26, 2024
Mohammed Al-Lada’a – December 26, 2024
Faisal Abu Al-Qumsan – December 26, 2024
Shatha al-Sabbagh – December 27, 2024
Hassan al-Qishaoui – January 2, 2025
Omar Salah Al-Derawi – January 3, 2025
Areej Shaheen – January 3, 2025
Saed Abu Nabhan – January 10, 2025
Ahlam Nafeth Al-Taluli – January 13, 2025
Mohammed al-Talmas – January 14, 2025
Aqel Saleh – January 15, 2025
Ahmed Abu Alrous – January 15, 2025
Ahmad al-Shayah – January 15, 2025
Alaa Hashim – March 15, 2025
Mahmoud al-Sarraj – March 15, 2025
Bilal Abu Matar – March 15, 2025
Mahmoud Isleem al-Basos – March 15, 2025
Husam al-Titi – March 17, 2025
Mohammed Mansur – March 24, 2025
Hossam Shabat – March 24, 2025
Mohammed Saleh Al-Bardawil – March 31, 2025
Islam Miqdad – April 6, 2025
Helmi al-Faqawi – April 7, 2025
Ahmad Mansoor – April 7, 2025
Fatima Hassouna – April 16, 2025
Saeed Abu Hassainen – April 23, 2025
Noor al-Din Matar Abdu – May 7, 2025
Yahya Sobeih – May 7, 2025
Hassan Aslih – May 13, 2025
Hassan Samour – May 15, 2025
Ahmed Al-Helou – May 15, 2025
Aziz al-Hajjar – May 17, 2025
Nour Qandil – May 17, 2025
Abdul Rahman al-Abadleh – May 17, 2025
Ahmed al-Zenati – May 17, 2025
Khaled Abu Seif – May 17, 2025
Yaqeen Hammad – May 23, 2025
Bilal al-Hatoum – May 23, 2025
Hassan Majdi Abu Warda – May 25, 2025
Moataz Rajab – May 28, 2025
Yousef al-Nakhala – May 31, 2025
Suleiman Hajjaj – June 5, 2025
Ismail Badah – June 5, 2025
Samir Al-Rifai – June 5, 2025
Ahmad Qalaja – June 5, 2025
Moamen Abu Alouf – June 9, 2025
Amin Hamdan – June 22, 2025
Mahmoud Abu Sharbi – June 25, 2025
Ismail Abu Hatab – June 30, 2025
Ahmad Salama Abu Aisha – July 11, 2025
Hussam Al-Adlouni – July 13, 2025
Fadi Khalifa – July 13, 2025
Tamer Al-Zaanin – July 21, 2025
Walaa Al-Jabari – July 23, 2025
Adam Abu Harbid – July 25, 2025
Ibrahim Hajjaj – July 30, 2025
Marwa Musallam – August 1, 2025
Anas Al-Sharif – August 10, 2025
Mohammed Qreiqeh – August 10, 2025
Ibrahim Zaher – August 10, 2025
Mohammed Noufal – August 10, 2025
Moamen Aliwa – August 10, 2025
Ziad Al-Razi – August 11, 2025
Islam al-Koumi – August 18, 2025
Khaled al-Madhoun – August 23, 2025
Hussam al-Masri – August 25, 2025
Mariam Dagga – August 25, 2025
Mohammed Salama – August 25, 2025
Moaz Abu Taha – August 25, 2025
Ahmed Abu Aziz – August 25, 2025
Hassan Douhan – August 25, 2025
Islam Abed – August 31, 2025
Rasmi Jihad Salem – September 2, 2025
Iman Ahmad Al-Zamli – September 2, 2025
Ayman Haniyeh – September 2, 2025
Osama Balousha – September 8, 2025
Mohammad al-Kuwaifi – September 15, 2025
Mohammed Alaa al-Sawalhi – September 18, 2025
Mohammed al-Daya – September 27, 2025
Yahya Barzaq – September 30, 2025
In Lebanon
Issam Abdallah – October 13, 2023
Farah Hisham Omar – November 21, 2023
Rabih Al Maamari – November 21, 2023
Hadi Al-Sayed – September 23, 2024
Kamel Karaki – September 25, 2024
Ghassan Najar – October 25, 2024
Mohammed Rida – October 25, 2024
Wissam Qassim – October 25, 2024
Sakina Mansour – November 13, 2025
Ahmad Farhat – February 16, 2025
In Syria
Safaa Ahmad – October 1, 2024
In Iran
Fereshteh Bagheri – June 13, 2025
Saleh Bairami – June 15, 2025
Nima Rajabpour – June 16, 2025
Masoumeh Azimi – June 16, 2025
In Yemen
Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh – September 10, 2025
Abbas Al-Dailami – September 10, 2025
Youssef Shams Al-Din Al-Bahri – September 10, 2025
Mohammed Al-Omeisi – September 10, 2025
Abdullah Al-Harazi – September 10, 2025
Murad Halboub Al-Faqih – September 10, 2025
Ali Naji Al-Shara’i – September 10, 2025
Ali Mohammed Al-Aqel – September 10, 2025
Jamal Al-Adhi – September 10, 2025
Sami Mohammed Hussein Al-Zaidi – September 10, 2025
Mohammed Ismail Hazam Al-Amsi – September 10, 2025
Bashir Hussein Ahsan Dablan – September 10, 2025
Aref Ali Abdo Al-Samahi – September 10, 2025
Mohammed Hamoud Ahmed Al-Matari – September 10, 2025
Abdul Wali Abdo Hussein Al-Najjar – September 10, 2025
Abdo Taher Musleh Al-Saadi – September 10, 2025
Abdulaziz Saleh Ahmed Shas – September 10, 2025
Mohammed Ahmed Mohammed Al-Zaakri – September 10, 2025
Zuhair Ahmed Mohammed Al-Zaakri – September 10, 2025
Mohammed Abdo Yahya Al-Sanfi – September 10, 2025
Mohammed Al-Azzi Ghaleb Al-Harazi – September 10, 2025
Issam Ahmed Murshid Al-Hashidi – September 10, 2025
Salim Abdullah Abdo Ahmed Al-Wateeri – September 10, 2025
Abbas Abdul Malik Muhammad Al-Dailami – September 10, 2025
Lutfi Ahmed Nasser Hadiyan – September 10, 2025
Qais Abdo Ahmed Al-Naqeeb – September 10, 2025
Muhammad Ali Hamoud Al-Dawi – September 10, 2025
Faris Abdo Ali Al-Rumaisa – September 10, 2025
Abdul Rahman Mohammed Mohammed Jaman – September 10, 2025
Amal Muhammad Ghaleb Al-Manakhi – September 10, 2025
Abdullah Mahdi al-Bahri – September 11, 2025
Opinions expressed in signed articles do not necessarily represent the views of the editors or the Tempest Collective. For more information, see “About Tempest Collective.”
Featured Image credit: Andrea Ebert; modified by Tempest.
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