A Light Extinguished: The Life and Legacy of Palestinian Journalist Nour Qandeel
Remembering a Voice Silenced in Gaza’s Ongoing War on Journalists
On May 15, Palestinian journalist Nour Qandeel posted a heartfelt message on Facebook:
“If I am martyred, I am not just a number, okay? Talk about me a lot, convey my voice, my ambition, and my dream after I’m gone.”
Just three days later, Nour, her husband Khaled Abu Shanab, and their infant daughter Ayloul were killed when an Israeli airstrike flattened their home in Deir al-Balah, Gaza.
Nour’s death is part of a devastating pattern in Gaza, where journalists have become frequent targets amid the ongoing conflict. According to the Palestinian Journalists’ Protection Center, more than 200 journalists have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, a toll described by rights groups as systematic and deliberate. The night Nour and her family were killed, five other journalists also lost their lives in separate attacks.
A graduate of Journalism and Media from Al-Aqsa University, Nour was known for her talent, determination, and adaptability. Despite the lack of stable job opportunities, she worked with several media organizations, most recently as Events Coordinator for the Al-Thuraya Media Foundation’s Social Media Café. She also developed skills in handicrafts, marketing her creations online to support her family amid Gaza’s economic blockade.
Nour dreamed of pursuing a Master’s degree in Digital Media abroad, but the siege on Gaza kept her aspirations out of reach. Her colleagues remember her as passionate about journalism and committed to amplifying the voices of Gaza’s women and families, even after becoming a mother.
The tragedy of Nour’s death, alongside her husband and baby daughter, highlights the ongoing dangers faced by journalists in Palestine. Despite international laws meant to protect journalists—including Article 79 of the Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions and UN Security Council Resolution 2222—no Israeli official has ever been held accountable for the killing of journalists in Gaza. Calls for independent investigations by the United Nations and human rights organizations have gone unanswered, and the International Criminal Court’s probe into war crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories remains stalled.
On the International Day for Palestinian Journalists, Nour’s story is a stark reminder of the risks journalists face and the urgent need for accountability. Her final words:
“Talk about me a lot, convey my voice and my ambition”….
are now a call to action for all who value truth and justice. Nour Qandeel was not just a number; she was a voice for her people, silenced but not forgotten. Her legacy endures in the ongoing struggle to tell Gaza’s story to the world.
Source: PressTv