Speakers
Phyllis Bennis
Program Director, New Internationalism Project, Institute for Policy Studies
Sherif Mansour
Outreach and Distribution Coordinator, Brave New Films
Rhana Natour
Award-winning Journalist and Correspondent
Moderator
About the Event
Since the start of the war on Gaza in October 2023, more than 187 journalists and media workers have been killed by Israel, making it the deadliest conflict for journalists ever recorded. Despite overwhelming evidence of the deliberate targeting of Palestinian journalists and disregard for international human rights and humanitarian law, Israel and its military have so far faced no accountability.
Produced by Brave New Films (BNF), Gaza: Journalists Under Fire tells the story of three of the journalists killed by the Israeli army while covering the genocide in Gaza: Bilal Jadallah, Heba Al-Abadlah, and Ismail Al-Ghoul. Through their stories, the film chronicles the genocide in Gaza and documents the blatant targeting of civilians as well as media, health, and humanitarian workers. With input from leading press freedom and human rights organizations, including the Committee to Protect Journalists, Reporters Without Borders, Human Rights Watch, and Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (ARIJ), the film addresses the grave violations of international law committed in Gaza over the past 20 months.
On May 29, 2025, Brave New Films (BNF), Arab Center Washington DC (ACW), and the National Writers Union (NWU) are hosting the national premiere of Gaza: Journalists Under Fire. The film screening will be followed by a discussion of the film and the issues of press freedoms and the protection of journalists, the media coverage of the Gaza war, violations of international law and international humanitarian law in Gaza, the role of the international community in protecting Palestinians, and implications for US policy and US aid to Israel.
Brave New Films (BNF) and filmmaker Robert Greenwald have a long-standing legacy of producing hard-hitting investigative documentaries that expose injustice, put a face to policy, and drive social change. Over the years, BNF has released powerful films like Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price (2005), which uncovers the harmful business practices of Walmart and their impact on communities; Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch’s War on Journalism (2004), a critical examination of Fox News and the growing threat of corporate control over media; Rethink Afghanistan (2009), which questions the effectiveness of U.S. military intervention in solving Afghanistan’s deep-rooted political and economic challenges; and Suppressed: The Fight to Vote (2019), which shines a light on voter suppression during the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election. Gaza: Journalist Under Fire is the latest addition to this powerful lineup. In keeping with BNF’s tradition of impact, this film will be launched through a broad campaign aimed at igniting conversation and mobilizing action across key communities.
