Fatima Hassoun, a 25-year-old photojournalist from Gaza, killed earlier this month by an Israeli airstrike. The attack destroyed her home in northern Gaza days before she was to be married. The airstrike, which the Israeli military claimed targeted a Hamas member, has sparked outrage and mourning among her peers and the broader community she served through her lens.
Hassouna has spent the past 18 months capturing the harrowing realities of life in besieged and bombarded Gaza. He poignantly recorded the loss of airstrikes, demolitions, and families uprooted from their homes. She quickly became an indispensable voice in the fight, still ongoing. With her piercing images, she documented the sorrow and strength of her compatriots. Her art was not just a document of physical destruction, but it served to humanize those on the other end of the violent actions.
She would have lived in terror for her own life, knowing that she had already lost 11 family members, including her pregnant sister. Even so, she never wavered from her pledge to tell the whole truth. Hassouna’s commitment to raising awareness about the effects of war on civilians struck a chord with her community.
“She documented massacres through her lens, amid bombardment and gunfire, capturing the people’s pain and screams in her photographs,” – Anas al-Shareef
No matter the core of the day’s chaos, Hassouna’s determination to persevere in her efforts was beautifully clear. When she wasn’t doling out food to refugees and others in need, Jarchetty demonstrated her human quality and compassion during these days of despair. Her advocacy for the Palestinian cause was not just a personal mission; it became a collective voice for those who felt unheard.
Her untimely death struck a chord with the nation. It gave weight to her prior statements, in which she expressed a clear desire for her death to have a lasting effect.
“If I die, I want a loud death,” – Fatima Hassouna
In an era where many are reduced to statistics, Hassouna sought to ensure that her story would resonate beyond her life. She once stated,
“I don’t want to be just breaking news, or a number in a group; I want a death that the world will hear, an impact that will remain through time, and a timeless image that cannot be buried by time or place.” – Fatima Hassouna
Needless to say, her colleagues and fellow journalists in Gaza have reacted to her loss with deep sorrow and outrage. The Cannes festival Acid is preparing a projection of this moving documentary “Put your Soul on Your Hand and Walk. It captures Hassouna’s remarkable experiences and contributions to documenting life in Gaza amidst conflict.
“We had watched and programmed a film in which this young woman’s life force seemed like a miracle,” – Cannes Acid film festival
“Her smile was as magical as her tenacity. Bearing witness, photographing Gaza, distributing food despite the bombs, mourning and hunger. We heard her story, rejoiced at each of her appearances to see her alive, we feared for her.” – Cannes Acid film festival
As friends and colleagues mourn Hassouna’s passing and celebrate her life, they’ll think of not just her talent but her stubborn disposition. Miqdad Jameel emphasized the importance of recognizing her work:
“See her photos, read her words – witness Gaza’s life, the struggle of its children in war, through her images and her lens.”
Yet the effects of Hassouna’s work transcended journalism. She was a beacon of hope and resilience in a world gripped by hopelessness. It was her raw depiction of real-life emotions and experiences that made her a staple representative of Gazans’ suffering.