Inside Gaza—Courage Under Fire
By Aboubakr Ibrahimoglu
Source: AFP | Bayeux Calvados-Normandy Award | Reporters Without Borders
🔹 A Standing Ovation for Truth
In the historic town of Bayeux, northwestern France, hundreds rose in a long standing ovation as the documentary “Inside Gaza” premiered — a film capturing the harrowing daily reality of Agence France-Presse (AFP) journalists working under relentless bombardment in Gaza.
The screening, part of the Bayeux Calvados-Normandy Award for War Correspondents, became an emotional tribute to reporters who risked their lives to keep the world informed amid devastation.
Audience standing during the Bayeux screening honoring AFP Gaza journalists – AFP / Lou Benoist
🔹 Documenting Life Beneath the Bombs
Directed by French journalist Hélène Lam Trong, Inside Gaza immerses viewers in the perilous existence of photographers and reporters who continued their mission despite constant danger.
“What we show in the film is far less than the reality,” Lam Trong said before the screening.
Produced jointly by ARTE and RTBF Belgium in collaboration with Fact Story (AFP’s documentary arm), the film delicately balances empathy and truth, excluding the most disturbing scenes while conveying the unbearable conditions of life under siege.
AFP Gaza team honored on stage in Bayeux, France – AFP / Lou Benoist
🔹 Faces of Courage
On stage stood seven AFP journalists who documented the outbreak of the 2023 Gaza war:
Bilal Al-Sabbagh, Mohannad Shawa, Mai Yaghi, Adel Zanoun, Said Khatib, Mohamed Abed, and Mahmoud Hams.
As the Palestinian flag was raised on stage, the hall erupted in applause—not a political gesture, but a salute to human endurance and the courage of truth.
“They are not just witnesses to war,” said Thibaut Bruttin, Director of Reporters Without Borders. “They are witnesses to humanity.”
The Palestinian flag raised in honor of AFP journalists – AFP / Lou Benoist
🔹 From Gaza to Exile
After months of covering the war amid constant bombardment, the seven journalists were evacuated with their families between February and April 2024 to Doha, Cairo, and London, where they continue to receive psychological treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.
AFP still operates in Gaza through a small network of independent correspondents who continue reporting despite communication blackouts and ongoing risk.
🔹 Bearing Witness Through Numbers
According to AFP’s verified data, the October 7, 2023 attack resulted in 1,219 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians, while more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza according to local health authorities.
The documentary stands as both a record and a reminder that journalism, at its best, bears witness when others look away.
🔹 A Message Beyond the War
Inside Gaza is more than a film; it is a manifesto of moral courage.
In a world saturated with images of suffering, these journalists remind us that holding a camera in the ruins is an act of defiance — and a call for humanity.
“They fought with truth, not weapons,” said one attendee. “This film didn’t change Gaza, but it changed us.”
🕊️ Closing Reflection
By honoring AFP’s Gaza journalists, France reaffirmed that journalism is not a luxury of peace—it is a duty amid war.
Their images, captured under fire, remain a testament to what it means to be both a journalist and a human being.
“When the camera rises in the face of death,” the article concludes, “it becomes a weapon for life.”
