'Sometimes I Ask Myself If We Are Even Alive,' Says Gaza-based Journalist Noor Harazeen

Noor Harazeen is a Gaza-based journalist and CGTN TV correspondent. Many of Noor's family members, friends and fellow journalists have been bombed to death by the Israeli forces since October 7. She spoke to Abhimanyu Bandyopadhyay about her war-torn journey in the Gaza Strip and the ordeals she faces to bring forth the truth as a reporter. 

Excerpts from the interview:

Noor, could you please talk about the current scenario in Gaza?

A massacre is happening here. Wherever you look, there's complete annihilation. We have lost our homes, our families, friends—everything. Israeli forces are now targeting hospitals filled with thousands of patients and evacuated people who have taken shelter there. Towards the northern Gaza border, Israeli snipers are killing people. Almost every hour I am witnessing the deaths of young children and women due to intensive bombing and the lack of medical resources. We have a very limited amount of food and water left, and new resources are hardly reaching us. Things are deteriorating as winter has arrived, but the heavy rainfall hasn't stopped yet in Gaza. Sometimes I ask myself if we are even alive.

Where are you now?

I'm currently at the Al-Aqaba Hospital, located in the middle of Gaza. We have taken temporary shelter inside the hospital courtyard along with other journalists.

Where are your parents? 

From October 15 to November 10, we were completely isolated from each other. I didn't even know if they were alive or not as the network connections were completely cut off by the Israeli government. We journalists somehow managed to build a temporary connection with our foreign SIM cards. On November 10 my parents were safely evacuated from the Al-Nasser Street hospital, which was surrounded by Israeli troops for 15 days and we finally had a reunion. They are with me at the Al-Aqaba Hospital which is a much safer place for them. Though deep inside we all know that currently there's nothing called a 'safe place' in Gaza.

Footage of the Israeli forces detaining and stripping Palestinian civilians are going viral on the internet. Is this happening all over Gaza?

No, particularly in northern Gaza. People located in northern Gaza are going through the worst situation. Israeli forces have abducted thousands of Palestinian civilians from northern Gaza but the western media is showing this number as 100. Some of these civilians are being released after severe torture while others are still missing. Only a few journalists are actively reporting from northern Gaza despite the unstable network connection. This is why we're not getting regular and detailed updates from there.  

Are any of the humanitarian aid trucks getting through to Gaza?

There are rarely any aid trucks entering the Gaza Strip. If a few enter, they are still not sufficient for us. Looking at the situation in Gaza, we need at least 1000-1500 humanitarian trucks to meet the needs of the people. However, Egypt only allows around 100 trucks per day, which is never enough to fulfil our needs. In addition, it does not reach the regions of northern Gaza permanently.

You have been working as a battlefield journalist in Gaza for more than 10 years. How do the previous aggressions you have experienced compare to the current one?

Look, I was born in the midst of gunpowder and destruction. We have been experiencing Israeli insurgency from a very young age but seriously, the previous four wars including the dozens of mass displacements, were nothing in comparison with this mass butchering and extermination. 

Has anybody in your family been killed in this genocide?

I have lost 16 members of my family, including my aunt, my cousins, and their children. My cousin Nahed Harazeen was one of the best C-section surgeons in Gaza. She has been bombed to death along with her husband and little kids. My 13-year-old brother, Yazan Harazeen, has lost both of his legs and his right hand. He is currently admitted to the Al-Aqaba Hospital, and we are taking care of him.

Are there sanitary pads in the hospitals? How are the women in Gaza dealing with menstruation?

Well, there are hardly any pads in the hospitals as well as in the markets. We are bound to use the same piece of cloth again and again. Some young girls are even taking heavy doses of drugs like Norethisterone just to delay their periods. Such prolonged use of can be dangerous to their health. Also, the damp weather and lack of hygiene are causing severe vaginal infections. There are high possibilities of a new pandemic in Gaza. People are just bound to sit, eat, sleep, and excrete alongside the corpses. Each day, a new person is getting infected and sick.

Is it true that Hamas is using Palestinian civilians as a humanitarian shield?

Absolutely not! We, the Palestinian citizens, have no connections with this organisation. But the Israeli government is propagating this biggest lie with the help of the western media and trying to isolate our voices from the whole world. Joe Biden has given billions and billions of dollars and supplied extremely advanced weapons to the Israeli government. I believe Meta is also deeply associated with Israeli propaganda. They are now unethically removing photos and videos regarding Gaza, deleting the Instagram accounts of pro-Palestinian supporters and decreasing the organic reach of every Gaza-related post and keywords. Everyone has blood on their hands.

Would you escape from the Gaza Strip if you had the chance?

No. I could have done it way before if I wanted to do so, but my mind is set on continuing my responsibility of covering this offensive as long as I'm alive. My family and I will not move out of Gaza, even if we get killed. At least we will be together until our last breath. I don’t know how I’m surviving physically, emotionally and mentally. Journalists in Gaza don’t have the luxury of having a mental breakdown.