Ambassador of The State of Palestine to Harare, Dr. Tamer Almassri with journalism students from Harare Polytechnic and Zimbabwe Open University.
By George Swarei
In a significant move, the Palestinian Embassy in Harare has partnered with Zimbabwe Open University and Harare Polytechnic to establish a Palestine press club. The club’s mission is clear: to provide accurate, contextual news, and feature stories from Palestine while adhering strictly to the principles of classical journalism.
During the recent launch of the Press Club in Harare, Ambassador of The State of Palestine to Harare, Dr. Tamer Almassri, engaged with journalism students from both institutions on the pressing issues affecting children in his home country.
He highlighted the devastating consequences of dehydration and malnutrition, attributing the growing number of children deaths in Gaza to Israel’s restrictive policies on aid, exacerbating an already dire situation.
Dr. Almassri emphasized the urgent humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with hundreds of thousands of people teetering on the brink of famine. He condemned Israel’s actions, stating, “Every day children in Gaza face increased risk of death from the sky, disease from lack of safe water, and deprivation from lack of food as apartheid Israel continues its genocide war against Palestinians in the besieged Gaza.”
The Palestinian envoy reiterated the necessity for an immediate, long-lasting ceasefire and an end to Israeli occupation to alleviate the suffering of Palestinian children and facilitate the urgent delivery of desperately needed aid.
Dr. Almassri accused Israel of flagrantly violating international humanitarian law by targeting and killing children in Gaza and the West Bank, surpassing the annual number of children killed in conflict zones worldwide since 2019.
He added, “Each passing day without a ceasefire and end to occupation brings further death, suffering, destruction, and devastation, leaving children with profound mental and physical scars that will last for years. Apartheid Israel should be held accountable for all these crimes against humanity.”
In a statement during the launch, Tinashe Ngirandi, Chief Coordinator of the Palestine Press Club, emphasized the importance of equipping trainee journalists with firsthand information about the Palestinian plight.
He highlighted the media’s role as the voice of the voiceless, advocating for justice for fellow colleagues, particularly children in Palestine, who are being denied their fundamental human rights.
Meanwhile, US Vice President Kamala Harris delivered one of the strongest rebukes of Israel to date, calling for increased humanitarian aid into Gaza. Harris described the conditions in the region as “inhumane” and emphasized the urgent need for action.
She cited reports of families resorting to desperate measures like eating leaves or animal feed, with women giving birth to malnourished babies amidst a lack of medical care.
Harris urged Israel to address the crisis, citing the tragic deaths of dozens of Palestinians amid Israeli gunfire and panic at Gaza food lines.
