I grant you refuge
My name is Paolo Patruno, I’m an Italian award-winning documentary photographer-filmmaker (www.paolopatrunophoto.org), and I’m the curator of the Photo Exhibition “I GRANT YOU REFUGE”, named as the homonymous poem by the Palestinian novelist and poet Hiba Abu Nada, who died a martyr, killed in her home in south Gaza by an Israeli raid on Oct. 20th, 2023. I wish to submit this portfolio as part of the exhibition for a possible publication on The Eye of Photography, with the aim to give voice and visibility to the suffering and atrocities that the Palestinian people are enduring, in the deafening silence of the Western media, thanks to the extraordinary images provided by six photographers from the Gaza Strip, representing the dozens of photojournalists who live and work in the area, as eyewitnesses to one of the most devastating conflicts of our time.
“Being a Palestinian is a story of resilience, pain, and hope intertwined. Every frame captured carries the weight of a nation struggling for justice and peace. Photographers document not just destruction, but also the unyielding spirit of the Palestinian people, the children playing amidst rubble, the silent strength of mothers, and the steadfastness of a community that refuses to be broken.
Being a journalist in Gaza is not just about holding a camera; it’s about risking everything to show the world the truth. Photographers are not immune to the violence they document, standing in the line of fire, they are targeted just like the people they stand among.
Every click of their cameras could be the last ones, but they press on because their stories, their voices, and their existence matter. Through their lenses, they strive to preserve truth and humanity, hoping that the images can break the barriers of indifference and spark solidarity.
In Gaza, where life and death are often separated by moments, these photographers don’t just take photos, they live them. Every shutter click is a heartbeat, every image is a testimony.
These stories, raw and unfiltered, must be shared to remind the world of the struggles, the sacrifices, and the unwavering hope of every photojournalist, of every Palestinian.”
(by Shadi Al-Tabatibi)
Photo Exhibition Photographers:
Jihad Al-Sharafi
Mahdy Zourob
Mohammed Hajjar
Omar Naaman
Saeed Mohammed Jaras
Shadi Al-Tabatibi
