Between the call of the National Syndicate of Moroccan Press and the bleeding of truth on the ground—how should we interpret the assassination of journalist Helmi Al-Faqaawi? Are the events in Gaza merely “collateral damage,” or part of a deliberate policy to silence witnesses?
In a statement filled with pain and outrage, the National Syndicate of Moroccan Press announced the death of fellow journalist Helmi Al-Faqaawi, who was burned alive inside the journalists’ tent in Khan Younis while performing his professional duty amid the ruins caused by the Israeli war on Gaza. But is mourning and condemnation enough? Or does the situation demand deeper questions about the role of journalism, the fate of reporters, and the future of their protection in a time where words are bombed like cities?
لم يتمكنوا من إنقاذ أحد المصابين من ألسنة النيران.. مشهد مروع لقصف إسرائيلي استهدف خيمة للصحفيين بجوار مجمع ناصر الطبي في خان يونس جنوب قطاع #غزة مما أدى إلى استشهاد شخصين وإصابة 6 صحفيين آخرين pic.twitter.com/R6NpqaNjyg
— Aljazeera.net • الجزيرة نت (@AJArabicnet) April 7, 2025
Helmi Al-Faqaawi… Martyr of the Profession or Victim of a Premeditated Crime?
The targeting of the journalists’ tent—whose coordinates, according to the syndicate, were known to the Israeli army—challenges a fundamental premise: Has the journalist become a direct target in modern wars? While international humanitarian law mandates the protection of journalists, are we facing an accident or a calculated operation to silence the truth?
In this context, we must not ignore the symbolic dimension of attacking journalists in a location that should have been safe. Doesn’t this indicate the collapse of ethical warfare norms and the transformation of Gaza into a testing ground for an informational extermination policy, where witnesses are eliminated before they can report?
Solidarity Without Guarantees? A Call for International Protection
At this tragic moment—where truth is assassinated in broad daylight—the Moroccan syndicate has renewed its call for international protection for journalists working in Gaza, the West Bank, and occupied Jerusalem. But will this call be heard? Or will the world continue to ignore a war that targets words and images as much as it targets bodies and buildings?
This is not the first time a Palestinian or foreign journalist is killed in Gaza. But it is one of the rare times when the killing takes place in a “known and documented zone,” making it an intentional crime, or even a premeditated assassination.
When Information Becomes a Military Target
What is most alarming is what the statement clearly mentions: the journalists’ tent in Khan Younis was neither random nor unknown. It should have been protected under international humanitarian law. So, if even known journalist locations are no longer respected, how can the continuity of testimony be ensured? And if the international community remains silent, then every journalist in a conflict zone becomes a potential martyr.
From Khan Younis to Jenin, from Nablus to Jerusalem, journalists are facing a systematic terror strategy, marked by assassinations and incitement from political and media actors. How far can this planned silencing go? And can international media continue fulfilling their mission without the minimum security guarantees?
Duty of Solidarity, Demand for Justice
In its statement, the Moroccan syndicate did not only express grief. It also sent a message of solidarity to the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, affirming that any attack on a journalist anywhere in the world is an attack on all journalists, on truth, and on the people’s right to reliable information. Can this serve as the foundation for a strong international mobilization to impose real legal protections for journalists in conflict zones? Can Israel one day be held accountable before international courts, or will the American veto continue to block all paths to justice?
A Broader Context: When Journalism Becomes an Act of Resistance
It is impossible to understand what is happening without linking it to the broader context, where Israel is waging a media war as intense as its military assault. Under Gaza’s blockade, the Palestinian journalist has become the main source of information, imagery, and testimony, making them a target on one side and a hero on the other. This is why it’s important to connect Al-Faqaawi’s assassination to the war on the Palestinian narrative, a war designed to strip Palestinians of the ability to tell their own story of suffering.
Conclusion: The Truth Doesn’t Burn… But It Is Targeted
The assassination of Helmi Al-Faqaawi is not an isolated incident—it is a link in a systematic chain. It confirms that in Gaza, the truth itself is under fire, and that journalism, once seen as a profession of narration and exposure, has now become a frontline of resistance. The world has a choice: either to defend the right to know, or to bury the facts with those who died trying to tell them.
