‘I will come back’: Palestinian journalist Motaz Azaiza leaves Gaza
The 24-year-old journo garnered a massive social media following his valiant 108-day coverage of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict amid relentless bombings
Acclaimed Palestinian photojournalist Motaz Azaiza bids goodbye to his homeland as he evacuated from the strife-torn besieged Gaza Strip to Qatar after rigorous reporting on Monday.
The 24-year-old journo garnered a massive social media following his valiant 108-day coverage of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict amid relentless bombings and brutal Israeli assaults.
His Instagram following catapulted to over 18 million in just a couple of days.
Azaiza, wearing a blue press vest and helmet, showed the world the on-ground situation in Gaza when it was almost impossible for most media moguls to cover the ruthless war of all times. With an empty stomach, a bare minimum of sleep and meager resources, Azaiza diced with death to highlight the miseries faced by the Gazans with hovering fear of famine, disease outbreaks, Israeli bombings and “death.”
I believe he was peacefully making a cup of tea before the Israeli warplanes bombed the house.
Israel must be proud about their speed to kill, they can do it before the cup of tea is ready, especially if the target is Palestinians.
I don’t want to imagine, I don’t want to… pic.twitter.com/fQv7FM7rG6— MoTaz (@azaizamotaz9) December 11, 2023
Announcing the news on X, formerly known as Twitter, the prominent journalist Azaiza hinted at several reasons for his evacuation, a few of them he suggested were “unknown to his audience.” He left for Qatar hours after his post from Egypt’s El Arish International Airport in a Qatari military plane.
“So, I had to evacuate for a lot of reasons you all know some of it but not all of it. Thank you all. Pray for Gaza,” Azaiza captioned his post on Twitter.
“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,” Azaiza broke the news to his fans in a social media video.
So,
I had to evacuate for a lot of reasons you all know some of it but not all of it.
Thank you all
Pray for Gaza. pic.twitter.com/sIqULe9d5V
— MoTaz (@azaizamotaz9) January 23, 2024
“I left Gaza with a broken heart and eyes filled with tears. There was no other option after 108 days of continuous massacres against us. It’s time to move somewhere else so I can do more work and I pray that I can be a reason to stop this war and help rebuild Gaza again. I’ve arrived in Qatar. Thank you, No time to rest. Keep calling for a ceasefire!” the journalist posted on Twitter as he arrived in Qatar safely.
I left Gaza with a broken heart and eyes filled with tears.
There was no other option after 108 days of continuous massacres against us.
It’s time to move somewhere else so I can do more work and I pray that I can be a reason to stop this war and help rebuild Gaza again.
I’ve… pic.twitter.com/kg3FwTi38d— MoTaz (@azaizamotaz9) January 24, 2024
Apart from reaping praises from all around the world, GQ Middle East also named Azaiza “Man of the Year” for 2023 for his “unwavering courage,” saying he was the epitome of resilience and hope for people during hard times.
Previously, Azaiza had also openly spoken about receiving death threats from Israel to cease his war coverage. However, he continued posting unfiltered videos and photos on his social media accounts.
In nearly 4-months of deadly war, Israel has killed over 100 Palestinian journalists in the Gaza Strip, raising international concerns about press freedom and the safety of journalists, risking their lines in conflict zones.
Israeli attacks on Palestinians have killed over 25,000 Gazans, including women and infants amid days of internet blackouts and unimaginable oppression.
