The Palestinian Platform for Fact-checking and Media Literacy (Kashif) provided a four-day training series on mobile journalism, journalistic ethics and principles, and fact-checking. More than 60 journalists from the Gaza Strip participated in the training, which was part of the UNESCO-funded Gaza Journalists Support Program.
The training included the mechanisms and tools used in producing journalistic content via mobile phones, as well as the ethics and principles of journalistic work, particularly during times of war and crisis.
The fact-checking sessions presented the most prominent misleading campaigns and accounts active during the Israeli occupation’s aggression on the Gaza Strip, the methodology used to monitor and verify misleading information, and tools for verifying images and videos circulating on social media platforms and in the media.
Hala Tannous, Communication and Outreach Programme Coordinator at UNESCO Ramallah Office, opened the online training for the first group, saying: “At UNESCO, we believe in the importance of empowering journalists amid the exceptional challenges they face, especially in conflict zones. Our support for this program stems from our commitment to freedom of expression and strengthening media capacities. We are proud to partner with Kashif to build the capacity of journalists in the Gaza Strip, contributing to conveying their voices and stories to the world with professionalism and credibility.”
Reham Abu Aita, director of Kashif, said that despite the difficult and exceptional circumstances facing journalists in the Gaza Strip, including targeting, shelling, displacement, and scarcity of food, water, and electricity, they have shown great interest in the training, demonstrating their dedication to journalistic work and their strong will. Abu Aita indicated that similar training will be conducted in the coming days for another group of journalists, followed by the production of diverse media materials from the Strip to ensure that the voices of Gazans of all backgrounds are heard by the world.
