Palestinian journalist Belal Khaled reveals the harsh truths of the Gaza conflict
Palestinian photojournalist and graffiti artist Belal Khaled speaking at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Houghton, Johannesburg. He is in South Africa to share the story of the 20-month bombardment of Gaza, Palestine, by Israel.
Image: Supplied
Belal Khaled has not been in combat in the past 20 months that his homeland, Gaza, has been experiencing death and destruction by Israel, but the Palestinian photojournalist and graffiti artist uses his craft instead.
Khaled is in South Africa to share the story of the almost two-year bombardment of Gaza by Israel, which has left around 60,000 dead and many more still unaccounted for.
On Friday, he shared his journey since October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel.
Khaled was in Doha, Qatar, on that day, but he immediately left for his homeland upon realising that Palestinians could face a hard war.
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Next
Stay
Close ✕
'I did not think about the risks to my life,' he recalled his return on October 8 through Egypt.
Khaled said he wanted to get into Gaza before its borders were closed and also to be with his family.
His mother, he explained, was shocked when he arrived home unannounced, as she knew he would be on the frontline working and documenting his compatriots' stories.
'It is always on my mind that you are going to be shot, killed, or injured. I didn't care because all of us are going to die. In Gaza, you don't care about that,' Khaled added.
Already, more than 250 journalists have been killed by Israel, but he is undeterred by the risks he faces daily.
Khaled believes Israel targets journalists because of the fear that they are informing the world about the conditions of Palestinians.
'I have to tell my colleagues' stories. We prefer to stay away from our families to protect them. A lot of my colleagues have lost their families,' he added.
His family's home was bombed in the first month, which he maintains was due to his work, and his mother and sister were injured but have since recovered.
Khaled said that while Israel has not allowed any international media to cover the ongoing genocide, Palestinian journalists have lost limbs, their children, as well as their workspaces, which were destroyed in the first week of Israel's war on Gaza.
'But none have stopped working. This is our resistance,' he stated.
Palestinian journalists have been operating from their cars and put up tents in hospitals, which have also been bombed, and used them as their offices and places to sleep.
However, this means little sleep as they often wake up to screams and have no choice but to cover the stories of the injured.
'All our days are between bombed houses and hospitals. It's too heavy on us, even when you're tired. They (the victims) are not just numbers; each victim, each massacre must be documented,' Khaled said.
'The mental health of journalists covering the genocide is adversely affected, but they have not sought any professional help, even if they cannot mourn the dead.
'Mental health is the last thing on journalists' minds. We are so focused, worried about the killing, starvation, and death. We don't have the luxury to think about it. When we lose someone, we don't have the luxury of sadness,' said Khaled. Their job, he further explained, was to also carry victims and comfort them.
'Gazans talk to each other to heal their souls; we prefer this to therapy,' Khaled said, adding that there is always the realisation that there are others who are experiencing more suffering.
He continued: 'We always remind ourselves that you don't have the luxury of choice.'
Khaled is hopeful that the work of Palestinian journalists will eventually help bring justice to the victims.
'Human life is more important than photos. If you have a chance to help someone, you help,' he said.
Palestinians, Khaled said, blame governments that support Israel, which he declares wants to erase Gaza, but still believe in the free people of the world.
'This is the first genocide being broadcast live, 360 degrees,' said Khaled.
In addition to Israel's war, Khaled indicated that Palestinians were also fighting social and mainstream media networks.
'There is also a social media war against us. Facebook, Meta restricts and deletes our content,' he complained, maintaining that the Palestinians' truth is always hidden.
Israel's biggest ally, the US, has no interest in stopping the war and is punishing everyone supporting Palestine, as witnessed across universities in that country, according to Khaled.
He said Palestinians have remained in their land throughout the two years of the war, but as soon as Israel started another conflict with Iran, their citizens began to leave after missiles hit several targets.
loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
12 hours ago
- IOL News
Palestinian journalist Belal Khaled reveals the harsh truths of the Gaza conflict
Palestinian photojournalist and graffiti artist Belal Khaled speaking at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Houghton, Johannesburg. He is in South Africa to share the story of the 20-month bombardment of Gaza, Palestine, by Israel. Image: Supplied Belal Khaled has not been in combat in the past 20 months that his homeland, Gaza, has been experiencing death and destruction by Israel, but the Palestinian photojournalist and graffiti artist uses his craft instead. Khaled is in South Africa to share the story of the almost two-year bombardment of Gaza by Israel, which has left around 60,000 dead and many more still unaccounted for. On Friday, he shared his journey since October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel. Khaled was in Doha, Qatar, on that day, but he immediately left for his homeland upon realising that Palestinians could face a hard war. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ 'I did not think about the risks to my life,' he recalled his return on October 8 through Egypt. Khaled said he wanted to get into Gaza before its borders were closed and also to be with his family. His mother, he explained, was shocked when he arrived home unannounced, as she knew he would be on the frontline working and documenting his compatriots' stories. 'It is always on my mind that you are going to be shot, killed, or injured. I didn't care because all of us are going to die. In Gaza, you don't care about that,' Khaled added. Already, more than 250 journalists have been killed by Israel, but he is undeterred by the risks he faces daily. Khaled believes Israel targets journalists because of the fear that they are informing the world about the conditions of Palestinians. 'I have to tell my colleagues' stories. We prefer to stay away from our families to protect them. A lot of my colleagues have lost their families,' he added. His family's home was bombed in the first month, which he maintains was due to his work, and his mother and sister were injured but have since recovered. Khaled said that while Israel has not allowed any international media to cover the ongoing genocide, Palestinian journalists have lost limbs, their children, as well as their workspaces, which were destroyed in the first week of Israel's war on Gaza. 'But none have stopped working. This is our resistance,' he stated. Palestinian journalists have been operating from their cars and put up tents in hospitals, which have also been bombed, and used them as their offices and places to sleep. However, this means little sleep as they often wake up to screams and have no choice but to cover the stories of the injured. 'All our days are between bombed houses and hospitals. It's too heavy on us, even when you're tired. They (the victims) are not just numbers; each victim, each massacre must be documented,' Khaled said. 'The mental health of journalists covering the genocide is adversely affected, but they have not sought any professional help, even if they cannot mourn the dead. 'Mental health is the last thing on journalists' minds. We are so focused, worried about the killing, starvation, and death. We don't have the luxury to think about it. When we lose someone, we don't have the luxury of sadness,' said Khaled. Their job, he further explained, was to also carry victims and comfort them. 'Gazans talk to each other to heal their souls; we prefer this to therapy,' Khaled said, adding that there is always the realisation that there are others who are experiencing more suffering. He continued: 'We always remind ourselves that you don't have the luxury of choice.' Khaled is hopeful that the work of Palestinian journalists will eventually help bring justice to the victims. 'Human life is more important than photos. If you have a chance to help someone, you help,' he said. Palestinians, Khaled said, blame governments that support Israel, which he declares wants to erase Gaza, but still believe in the free people of the world. 'This is the first genocide being broadcast live, 360 degrees,' said Khaled. In addition to Israel's war, Khaled indicated that Palestinians were also fighting social and mainstream media networks. 'There is also a social media war against us. Facebook, Meta restricts and deletes our content,' he complained, maintaining that the Palestinians' truth is always hidden. Israel's biggest ally, the US, has no interest in stopping the war and is punishing everyone supporting Palestine, as witnessed across universities in that country, according to Khaled. He said Palestinians have remained in their land throughout the two years of the war, but as soon as Israel started another conflict with Iran, their citizens began to leave after missiles hit several targets.
IOL News
14 hours ago
- IOL News
Khloé Kardashian reveals the harsh realities of her weight-loss journey
Khloé Kardashian shares some of the issues she's faced in her weight-loss journey. Image: Instagram In an open discussion on the latest episode of her podcast, "Khloé In Wonder Land", reality TV star Khloé Kardashian shed light on the public's reaction to her dramatic weight-loss. The 40-year-old fitness enthusiast sat down with influencer Whitney Simmons, sharing her experiences with criticism throughout her transformation journey. Initially rising to fame on "Keeping Up With The Kardashians", Kardashian recalled her transformation from being subjected to public scrutiny based on her appearance to finding herself in the spotlight for her weight loss. The entrepreneur and mother of two shared: "The bigger I was, I was way more confident. I think because, like, what are going to say about me? I know all the things you're going to say. I would have my days that I would feel low and all of that." Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ #KhloéKardashian is keeping it real about her body image journey and what changed after she lost weight. 🎥: Khloé in Wonderland podcast ✍🏾: Kay Johnson — theJasmineBRAND (@thejasminebrand) June 19, 2025 After placing significant emphasis on fitness, Kardashian revealed the pressures she felt to maintain her new shape. "When I started my fitness journey and, like, becoming in shape, I felt such a need that I had to keep this up, like even if it wasn't for me," she shared. The reality star admitted: "I can't get fat again, because everyone is expecting that to happen." Kardashian reflected on the shifting tides of public attention, noting: "It was also a different type of attention I was now receiving ... Once I got a little older, I was like, 'Wait, this is gross', I hated that, that's why I was getting more attention because I looked a certain way." She added: "I've learned, no matter what, I'm never going to make people happy." Addressing the harsh labels she faced post-weight loss, Kardashian noted: "When I lost weight, I was 'a traitor to the bigger community'; I'm 'not myself'; I'm 'not funny anymore'." Despite the judgements, Kardashian said she is determined to remain true to her core self: "I just aesthetically look a little different, or a lot different, whatever you want to say." Kardashian has always publicly documented her fitness journey, highlighting her rigorous exercise regimen that includes four gym sessions a week and a mix of circuit training, along with personal training sessions. She was interviewed saying: "I do circuit training with cardio intervals, so I'm always spiking my heart rate up and down ... I mean my weight-loss journey. It took years for me. I've always been chubby - like athletic. I've always played sports. I just was never in shape."
The Citizen
4 days ago
- The Citizen
24 hours in pictures, 16 June 2025
24 hours in pictures, 16 June 2025 Through the lens: The Citizen's Picture Editors select the best news photographs from South Africa and around the world. The setting sun glows behind Salgo Castle as seen from Salgotarjan, northern Hungary, 15 June 2025. Picture: EPA-EFE/Peter Komka A Black-headed heron eats a field mouse in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, on June 11, 2025. Picture: Matrix Images / Nic Bothma Well known South African Afro-soul diva Simphiwe Dana performs at a packed Durban Playhouse opera theare in Durban over the weekend. The concert ' Simphiwe Dana: Reflections' was to celebrate 20 years of song. Dana celebrated 20 years in music with fans packed at the concert hekd at the Durban Playhouse for her rich vocals, poetic lyrics, and powerful took fans on an emotional journey through her career. The energy was electric as the crowd sang and danced along, honouring a true legend of not only a South African but a diva whose made her mark worldwide. Picture: Rajesh Jantilal Alti Fouche, from Silla Speciality Cakes, and DA Councillor Simon Lapping pose for a photograph with a cake as they celebrate the approaching third birthday of the Rondebult Road sinkhole in Boksburg. The ongoing delay in repairing the sinkhole continues to undermine the city's economy, frustrate road users, and negatively impact local businesses. Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Rise Mzanzi activists attends a commemoration event at the Hector Pieterson Memorial on June 16, 2025 in Soweto, South Africa. The ceremony will reflect on the importance of preserving the meaning of 16 June 1976. The ceremony honours the youth who led the Soweto Uprising and underscores the need to protect their legacy through continued advocacy for quality education, equality, and social justice. (Photo by Laird Forbes/Gallo Images) A girl holds a Palestinian flag during a Pro-Palestinian rally in Istanbul, Turkey, 15 June 2025. More than 55,200 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, since Israel launched a military campaign in the strip in response to a cross-border attack led by the Palestinian militant group Hamas on 07 October 2023, in which about 1,200 Israelis were killed and more than 250 taken hostage. Picture: EPA-EFE/ERDEM SAHIN Children at the MK Youth League Launch at Christianenburg Stadium on June 16, 2025 in Durban, South Africa. The MK Party Youth League (MKPYL) was established to provide a platform for young South Africans to participate actively in the political process and aims to continue the fight for justice, equality, and socio-economic development in the post-apartheid era. (Photo by Gallo Images/Darren Stewart) Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men inspect the damage at the site of an Iranian missile strike in Bnei Brak, east of Tel Aviv, on June 16, 2025. Iran unleashed a barrage of missile strikes on Israeli cities early on June 16, after Israel struck military targets deep inside Iran, with both sides threatening further devastation. (Photo by JOHN WESSELS / AFP) French aerobatic flying team Patrouille de France (PAF) aircraft perform a flyover during the 55th edition of the International Paris Air Show at the Paris-Le Bourget Airport, in Le Bourget, near Paris, France, 16 June 2025. The Paris Air Show, one of the largest trade fairs of the aerospace-industry and air shows in the world, runs from 16 to 22 June. Picture: EPA-EFE/CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON Migrants walk in the water to board a smuggler's boat in an attempt to cross the English Channel off the beach of Gravelines, northern France on June 16, 2025. The sun was just rising on Monday June 16, 2025, but dozens of migrants were striding along the beach in Gravelines (Nord), watched by almost as many police officers. Some of them managed to board a dinghy bound for England, leaving disappointed, haggard people behind. (Photo by Sameer Al-DOUMY / AFP) Firefighters battle intense flames fanned by strong northerly winds as a fire that began above Boyes Drive in Muizenberg spread rapidly toward St James on June 15, 2025 in Cape Town, South Africa. The fire threatened to cross the scenic drive, prompting a large-scale response. SANParks Table Mountain National Park SEAM Rangers detained at least six individuals seen near the fire's origin, as investigations continue into the cause. (Photo by Gallo Images/Brenton Geach) The Life Guards, members of the Household Cavalry march between the spectators at the Order of the Garter service at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, southern England, on June 16, 2025. The Order of the Garter is the oldest and most senior Order of Chivalry in Britain, established by King Edward III nearly 700 years ago (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS / POOL / AFP) MORE: 24 hours in pictures, 12 June 2025
