Key Points
- Journalist Muhammad Mansour provides a firsthand account of the catastrophic humanitarian collapse in the Gaza Strip.
- The civilian population faces extreme shortages of food, clean water, and medical supplies, with many surviving on a single meal per day.
- Journalists in Gaza are operating under life-threatening conditions, facing constant bombardment and a lack of basic infrastructure like electricity and internet.
- Mansour issues an urgent plea to the international community to recognize the humanity of Gazans and to advocate for an immediate end to the violence.
Full Transcript (English)
Host (Jun Hori): Today, we are connecting with the Gaza Strip to speak with Muhammad Mansour, a local journalist who has been documenting the reality on the ground. Muhammad, thank you for joining us despite the incredibly dangerous situation. Can you tell us what the current conditions are like for you and the people around you?
Guest (Muhammad Mansour): Thank you, Jun. To be honest, the situation here is beyond what any words can describe. It is a total catastrophe. There is no safe place left in the entire Gaza Strip. Whether you are in the north or the south, the sound of explosions is constant. We live every moment with the fear that the next strike could hit our homes or where we are seeking shelter.
Host: We have seen reports of severe shortages. How are people managing to find food and water?
Guest: It is a daily struggle for survival. Most families are lucky if they can find one meal a day. Markets are empty, and the prices for what little remains are astronomical. Clean drinking water is almost non-existent. People are forced to drink contaminated water, leading to the spread of diseases, especially among children. We see children standing in long queues for hours just for a small piece of bread or a bottle of water.
Host: As a journalist, you are tasked with telling this story to the world. How are you able to work under these conditions?
Guest: It is nearly impossible. We have no consistent electricity, and the internet is cut off for long periods. To send a single report or upload a video, I often have to travel to areas that are extremely dangerous just to find a signal. Many of my colleagues have been killed while wearing their “PRESS” vests. We are not targets, yet we feel targeted. But we continue because if we don’t speak, the world will not know the extent of the suffering here.
Host: What is the psychological state of the people, especially the children who have known nothing but conflict?
Guest: The trauma is deep. Children are terrified of every loud noise. They have lost their schools, their homes, and in many cases, their parents. There is a profound sense of abandonment. People feel that the international community is watching this happen in real-time but doing nothing to stop it. The sense of despair is overwhelming.
Host: What is your message to the people in Japan and the rest of the world watching this?
Guest: My message is simple: We are human beings. We have dreams, we have families, and we love life just like you do. We want our children to grow up in peace, not under the shadow of war. Please do not become desensitized to our pain. Use your voices to demand a ceasefire and to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches those who are starving. We need the world to act before it is too late for all of us.
Host: Muhammad, please stay safe. We will continue to share your voice from Japan. Thank you.
Guest: Thank you for listening to us.
