GAZA, (PIC)
A European journalistic investigation covering the testimonies of doctors who worked in the Gaza Strip during the Israeli war won a prestigious journalism award, amid calls from the investigation’s preparers to pay greater attention to the data and evidence they documented regarding injuries suffered by children inside the Strip.
Medical testimonies from inside Gaza
Journalist Maud Effting and journalist Willem Feenstra from the Dutch newspaper “De Volkskrant” won the “Distinguished Reporting Award” within the European Press Prizes for an investigation titled “What the wounds tell”, which was based on the testimonies of doctors who worked in Gaza hospitals during the war.
Effting explained that preparing the investigation came in light of the inability of most international journalists to enter the Strip, which prompted the work team to rely on the testimonies of doctors as they are among the most prominent witnesses who witnessed the events on the ground. She added that the interviews focused on documenting the injuries suffered by children, especially cases of single gunshot wounds to the head or chest, emphasizing that the investigation was based on medical testimonies and facts that deserve further study and attention, according to Anadolu Agency.
Supporting documents and evidence
Feenstra indicated that the investigation team did not only rely on oral testimonies, but collected a wide range of supporting evidence, which included photographs, video clips, medical reports, X-rays, clinical records, and field notes documented by health sector workers during their period of work in Gaza.
He added that a number of doctors who left the Strip felt a responsibility to convey what they saw to the world, which prompted them to document their observations and present them to the journalistic team.
Professional auditing and assistance from experts
Feenstra confirmed that the sensitivity of the file imposed strict verification procedures before publication, explaining that the team sought the assistance of independent forensic experts from Netherlands and Belgium, along with specialists in military affairs, to analyze photographs and medical data and interpret the patterns of injuries contained in the testimonies.
He showed that these steps aimed to ensure the highest degrees of professional accuracy in dealing with an issue that enjoys wide international follow-up and sparks continuous discussion.
Criticisms did not stop the investigation
The Dutch journalist pointed out that the investigation faced expected criticisms and pressures due to the nature of the file related to the war on Gaza, but the newspaper’s management supported the work team during the preparation and publication stages, considering that the presence of a supportive media institution is an essential factor in completing complex investigative investigations.
Journalism in the face of blackout
Feenstra considered that the award represents an incentive to continue investigative work on major humanitarian issues, stressing that the restrictions imposed on access to Gaza make the search for reliable sources and verifiable testimonies more important than ever.
He stressed that journalism still plays a pivotal role in revealing facts and keeping violations under the spotlight, especially in areas of conflict and humanitarian crises, according to Anadolu Agency.
Since the beginning of the Israeli genocide on the Gaza Strip on 7 October 2023, about 73,000 Palestinians were martyred in the Israeli aggression, and more than 173,000 others were injured, in addition to widespread destruction that affected 90 percent of the civilian infrastructure in the Strip.