Thank You to Everyone Who Supported Journalists in Gaza

(Oct 2023 – Oct 2025) 

On November 5th ARIJ Fonden sent a thank-you email to everyone who stood with us in our journey to support the journalists in Gaza. We wanted to share a glimpse of that journey with you here.

In October 2023, as the war on Gaza began, we at ARIJ Fonden were horrified to see journalists paying a high price immediately. They were getting killed by the Israeli army, losing family members, homes, offices, as well as the equipment that allowed them to cover the war and continue their work.

ARIJ Fonden is an organization that supports Arab journalists in doing investigative work. We were in touch with journalists we had known and collaborated with in Gaza over the past 15 years. They told us about how losing their equipment meant losing their ability to cover the war and sustain their livelihood. With reporting from inside Gaza at risk, human rights violations could have gone undocumented, making future investigations nearly impossible.

ARIJ does not typically run assistance programs, but these were unprecedented times. We could not stand still as we watched our colleagues struggle. It started modestly, helping a few journalists we knew directly. Soon, word spread and more reached out for support.

At first, when the requests were fewer and funds were available, we supported everyone who contacted us. Our focus was on replacing lost equipment: laptops, phones, cameras, lenses, so the journalists could continue the coverage and work. The requirements were simple: being a working journalist.

We also responded to immediate needs as they arose, including providing mattresses and covers, winter jackets, solar systems, building a tent for journalists and care kits for female journalists.

As the number of requests for equipment grew and funds were limited, it was necessary to formalize the process. We created an application form, compiled all applicants and established clear criteria.

Verification included checking the applicant’s work, ID, assessing losses and needs and considering any prior assistance they had received. Our donors also had their own requirements, including prioritizing freelancers who lacked institutional support.

The selection process was carried out by a small committee at ARIJ. The local coordinators in Gaza were responsible for logistical support. They had no access to applications and were not involved in selection decisions.

Once the initial assessment was completed, our team connected with each selected applicant to confirm the details before the final selections were made. Throughout this process, donors received full reports with invoices and signed receipts.

As the number of requests kept rising, the donor funds were no longer enough. ARIJ Fonden launched a public campaign hoping to reach more journalists and replace more of the lost equipment. Despite the generosity of many who contributed, it was still not enough to meet every request.

With the limited resources available, we eventually had to stop individual assistance in early 2025. Out of the more than 700 journalists who applied, we were able to support over 300. We are deeply proud of that, but equally saddened that we couldn’t support everyone who needed help. We hope that local, regional and international organizations are able to do that. Much more is still needed to help them rebuild their lives and continue their work.

Throughout the process, we coordinated closely with everyone involved or interested in supporting Gaza’s journalists in any way, local, regional and international organizations. In December 2023 and Dec 2024, we called for an in-person meeting at the ARIJ Forum to which representatives of all the organizations were invited. Throughout the process we also participated in several virtual meetings and coordinated regularly to ensure efforts were aligned and not overlapping.

It’s important to note that during this process some organizations also made donations that were specifically designated for their own members or for journalists they know. In those cases, ARIJ Fonden simply facilitated the purchase and delivery of the equipment as directed by the donor, outside of the regular selection process.

As our individual support concluded, our focus from early 2025 focused on developing and upgrading communal work spaces for journalists, shared facilities that provide power, internet, workstations and allow journalists to continue their work.

ARIJ had already rebuilt and fully equipped a journalists’ tent in Deir al Balah, providing journalists with space where they can work with dignity. The tent has undergone several upgrades including in recent weeks. Hundreds of journalists working for numerous media outlets used it and many shared messages thanking us and our donors for the efforts. We established a working space for journalists in the north of Gaza as well and it is highly appreciated by the journalists using it every day.

ARIJ conducted an external audit at the end of 2024 to review all program-related activities and expenditures. It confirmed that the funds were managed transparently and used solely for their intended purpose: supporting journalists in Gaza. ARIJ is planning another external audit at the end of this year to mark the closure of the program.

Throughout this initiative, the ARIJ editorial, managerial, administrative and financial staff worked without any administrative fees, donating hundreds of hours of their time to run the program and ensure its transparency.

We would like to thank all donors (organizations and individuals) who believed in this work throughout this time.

We are humbled by the resilience and professionalism of the journalists in Gaza, who continued to report under unimaginable circumstances. Their courage was a constant reminder of why our work mattered. We feel privileged to have been in a position to support them.