To survive Gaza a photojournalist parts with his most prized possession— camera

If you're an artist, you’d never want that favourite paintbrush to go away. If you’re a musician, parting with your first guitar would feel unthinkable. And for a photographer, it’s surely the camera — the lens through which they see and share the world.

But when hunger takes over and feeding your family becomes the only priority, even the most treasured tools start to carry a price tag.

Amid the deepening crisis in Gaza, a photojournalist was forced to do just that.

Mohammed Abu Oun, who recorded and published visuals from the war-hit region for several news media outlets including The New York Times, shared a heartbreaking message on LinkedIn. He posted that he is selling his camera and press shield — tools that helped him document reality — just so he can afford basic necessities.

“I want to offer my equipment and the press shield for sale so that I can buy food for me and my family,” he wrote, sharing alongside a photo of his used Canon gear resting on a bulletproof vest marked ‘PRESS’.

Check out the LinkedIn post

The post highlights the harsh conditions journalists and civilians in Gaza are enduring, as the region grapples with critical shortages of food, clean water, and medical essentials. These shortages have worsened since Israel launched a heavy military offensive in retaliation to the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023.

Netizens react as post goes viral

As the journalist’s post surfaced online, the internet heard his cry for survival — where what was once a voice and witness is now a lifeline being traded to avoid starving to death. The comments echoed his pain, with many calling it a “heartbreaking” scene from Gaza.

The United Nations and global NGOs have warned of an impending famine in the region.

“A large proportion of the population of Gaza is starving", according to the World Health Organisation’s chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.