“She Carried Gaza’s Soul, Then They Bombed Her Home”, Israel Killed Palestinian Photojournalist

The famous Palestinian Photojournalist Fatima Hassouna and her family members were martyred in a planned Israeli airstrike.

A voice of hope silenced:

Fatima Hassouna’s film was selected for the Cannes 2024 Film Festival. She was martyred on Wednesday in an Israeli airstrike. She had made an official announcement of her film a day before this assault. Fatima captured the agony, strength, and human spirit of the people of Gaza, even as the bombs fell around her. She was the voice of hope in the chaotic circumstances.

A dream cut Short:

A documentary titled Put Your Soul On Your Hand And Walk was selected for a special segment at Cannes. Iranian filmmaker Sepideh Farsi directed this documentary. The documentary revolves around the video link conversation between two women. The documentary was not merely an ordinary interview. It was, in fact, an amalgamation of emotions, humour, fear, and, most of all, love for their people and land. The Iranian director said, “Fatima was a light. She was so talented. She told me, “I’ll come to Cannes, but I have to go back to Gaza. I don’t want to leave my home.”

A whole family wiped out:

In a planned Israeli airstrike, Fatima, along with her nine family members, lost their lives. A few days earlier, Fatima’s sister also talked with Farsi in a video link. She was pregnant and showed Farsi her baby bump. Fatima was engaged and planned to attend Cannes. She was working through the French embassy to find a safe way out of Gaza. On her martyrdom, Farsi said, “I even feel guilty. Maybe they targeted her because the film was announced. I don’t know. We’ll never know.”

A targeted Israeli airstrike:

Israel falsely alleged that a Hamas leader was present at the location of Fatima’s residence. That is why they hit that area. The Iranian director strongly rejected Israel’s claim and said that there were no Hamas leaders there. She, however, responded with these words, “That’s nonsense. I knew the family well. There was no militant there.” Her assault had raised concerns about the safety of every journalist or citizen there who dared to share uncomfortable truths with the world. As per reports, 157 journalists and media workers became the victim of Israeli airstrikes.

ACID’s tribute:

The Association for the Diffusion of Independent Cinema(ACID) is a program by France shown as a special segment in the Cannes Festival. The program issued a statement in which Fatima’s courage is cherished. They called Fatima “a young woman whose life force was nothing short of miraculous.” Their words echoed a deep sorrow. They wrote, “Her smile was as magical as her strength. She documented Gaza with grace, courage, and heart, feeding the hungry, sharing her grief, and giving her voice to the voiceless, even under falling bombs. It is no longer the same film. But it is one we will honor, support, and show around the world, beginning with Cannes.”

Fatima was the soul of a people:

Fatima was not just an individual or a photojournalist. In fact, she was the voice of many Palestinian people. Her departure from the temporary physical world does not mean that her voice can no longer be heard. In fact her voice, her motive or her purpose to free Palestinians can be echoed through her photos, courage and her film. A martyr can never be killed, and those who think that a martyr is killed are ignorant.