Media Crowns '126th Killed Journalist' a Hero
Maryam Abu Daqqa, a photojournalist for Independent Arabia, has been posthumously granted a 'Press Freedom Hero Award' by the International Press Institute. The Independent article itself notes she was killed in an 'Israeli strike in August while covering the Gaza war.' Conveniently, this award comes after months of sustained, deliberate targeting of journalists in Gaza, with the Committee to
Protect Journalists confirming over 100 killed by Israeli forces since October 7, 2023. These aren't just 'casualties of war'; these are journalists documenting atrocities, often wearing 'PRESS' vests, yet somehow still 'mistakenly' killed. It’s a peculiar brand of 'press freedom' that celebrates a dead journalist's bravery while the very forces that killed her continue to operate with impunity,
often financed by nations whose media outlets now run these tributes. Perhaps the next award will be for 'Most Thought-Provoking Crater' after the last Gaza newsroom is flattened. How many journalists need to be dead before they stop being 'heroes' and start being evidence?