Key Points
- Journalist Sami Abu Salem provides a harrowing first-hand account of the deteriorating humanitarian situation within the Gaza Strip.
- The region faces a total collapse of infrastructure, with severe shortages of food, clean water, and medical supplies pushing the population to the brink.
- Nowhere in Gaza is currently safe, as constant bombardment affects even designated “safe zones,” leading to multiple displacements for families.
- Despite communication blackouts and extreme personal risk, local journalists continue to report to ensure the international community sees the reality on the ground.
Full Transcript (English)
Host (Jun Hori): Today, we are connecting directly with the Gaza Strip. We are joined by journalist Sami Abu Salem. Sami-san, thank you for speaking with us under such incredibly difficult circumstances. Can you describe the current situation where you are right now?
Guest (Sami Abu Salem): Thank you, Hori-san. To be honest, the situation here in Gaza is catastrophic and beyond what words can describe. We are witnessing a total collapse of all humanitarian systems. There is a desperate lack of food, clean drinking water, and essential medicine. Most of the population is living in makeshift tents or inside the ruins of damaged buildings. Even these places offer no real protection.
Host (Jun Hori): We receive reports daily of constant bombardment. Is there anywhere left that people can consider a safe haven?
Guest (Sami Abu Salem): No, that is the reality we live in—nowhere is safe. Military operations are ongoing across the entire strip. People are frequently told to move to so-called “safe zones,” but even these areas are targeted by airstrikes and shelling. I know families who have been displaced five, six, or even ten times. They carry their few remaining belongings on their backs, searching for safety that simply does not exist.
Host (Jun Hori): How are people managing the basic necessities of life, like finding food and water for their children?
Guest (Sami Abu Salem): It is a grueling daily struggle for survival. The prices of basic goods have reached levels that no one can afford. A simple bag of flour or a bottle of water has become a luxury. People spend their entire day waiting in long queues for a small amount of water, which is often contaminated. The children are the ones suffering the most; they are malnourished, and the psychological toll of the constant sound of drones and explosions is devastating.
Host (Jun Hori): As a journalist on the ground, how are you able to continue your work and send out these reports?
Guest (Sami Abu Salem): It is becoming nearly impossible. We face frequent and prolonged communication blackouts. There is no electricity, so we have to rely on small solar chargers just to keep our phones and cameras functioning. Many of my colleagues have been killed or injured while trying to report. However, we feel a deep responsibility to continue. If we don’t tell these stories, the world will not know the extent of the suffering here. We do this even though our own lives are constantly at risk.
Host (Jun Hori): Sami-san, thank you for your courage and for sharing this report with us. Please stay as safe as possible. we will continue to follow your updates.
