Palestinian journalist Bisan Owda wins Emmy Award despite intimidation attempts

Palestinian journalist Bisan Owda won an Emmy Award for her project “I’m Bisan from Gaza and I’m Still Alive,” which documents her life under military assault brutality of Israel in the territory. We devoted an article to his work last August.

The Palestinian journalist’s victory was announced on September 27 at the 45th annual Emmys ceremony dedicated to current affairs and documentaries. Days earlier, the Academy rejected a campaign by pro-Israel figures calling for Ms. Owda’s nomination to be rescinded over false allegations that she had ties to “a terrorist organization.”

Since October 7, 2023, Bisan Owda has dedicated herself to documenting her daily life in Gaza. With 4.8 million followers on Instagram (@wizard_bisan1) and over 1.2 million TikTok followers, his videos have a significant impact on a global scale, highlighting the resilience and strength of a people facing to a humanitarian catastrophe.

Jon Laurence, Senior Executive Producer at AJ+, accepted the award on behalf of Owda: “We would like to thank the academy for this recognition. This award is a testimony to the power of a woman who, with only an iPhone, survived almost a year of bombings,” he said in his speech.

The producer also used this platform to warn about the situation of journalists in Gaza, declaring that more than 100 Palestinian journalists had been killed since October 7, 2023.

On Instagram, Watermelon Pictures congratulates Owda the young journalist: “We are so proud of Bisan, who risked his life to show the world the truth on the ground in Gaza for 355 days and counting. Congratulations to Bisan and all journalists in Gaza and Palestine who fearlessly report the truth.”