“Hey everyone, this is Bisan from Gaza, and I’m still alive. Today is Day … of the genocide.” With these stark words, Bisan Owda begins every video since Oct. 7, offering a searing, day-by-day commentary on the relentless horrors faced by her and countless others in Gaza. The Palestinian activist and filmmaker’s social media series has been aired in collaboration with AJ+ and has garnered more than 40 million views across various social media platforms, and now, it’s nominated for an Emmy.
It’s Bisan from Gaza and I’m Still Alive, is being nominated under the category Outstanding Hard News Feature Story: Short Form. In June, she won a Peabody for the same series, accepting it from a refugee camp in occupied Gaza.
Her mini documentary videos stand as an unflinching testament to the ongoing genocide and the devastation of the Gaza Strip under Israeli occupation. As one of the most-followed journalists on the ground, the brave Palestinian uses her voice to broadcast the plight of Gazans struggling to survive under dire, inhumane circumstances.
Despite the conflict being recognized by the UN as the “deadliest, most dangerous conflict for journalists in recent history,” Owda persists– just yesterday, Al Jazeera journalist Ismail al-Ghoul and his cameraman Rami al-Rifi were killed by an Israeli air strike.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reports that as of Aug, 1, at least 113 journalists and media workers have been among the more than 39,000 killed since the war began, marking this as the deadliest period for journalists since CPJ began gathering data in 1992.
Journalists in Gaza face particularly high risks as they attempt to cover the conflict amidst Israeli ground assaults, devastating airstrikes, disrupted communications, supply shortages, and extensive power outages. Yet, despite these overwhelming challenges, Owda and her peers continue to rise each day to document the atrocities.
Award or not, Owda, alongside Moataz Azaiza, Hind Khoudary, and many other Gazan journalists are not driven by accolades but by an unyielding commitment to truth. Their bravery ensures the world is informed, countering a narrative that is often manipulated and distorted. Without their courage, the realities of Gaza might remain unseen, with global awareness fading into oblivion.
The 2024 News & Documentary Emmy Awards will be presented by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences on Sep. 25-26 in New York.
