Last summer, shortly after Ahmed Zakot, his wife and three young children moved from Gaza’s strip to Calgary, the family accumulated in a car and went directly to the Canadian rock mountains.
Back home in the city of Gaza, Zakot’s children had few opportunities to play, children’s parks and parks, once familiar, now flattened.
But in their new lives in Alberta, the freedom to explore nature has been a way for their children to begin to heal and “eliminate the nightmares that passed during the current war,” Zakot said.
This “paradise”, as Zakot calls it, is far from where he was stopped just over a year ago.
Gaza reports
The bombings, funerals and destruction often were the focus of Zakot’s photos on the ground in Gaza before, and especially after October 7, 2023.
“It’s a horrible thing … as a Palestinian journalist, who covers stories, news, events, pursue bombs, funerals, humanitarian stories [and] At the same time, worrying about his family that has been displaced, “he said.
Zakot, a Gazan since he was seven years old, has worked as a photojournalist for more than two decades, mainly with the global Reuters news agency. And he was part of the Reuters team that won the 2024 Pulitzer Award in Breaking News Photography for his war coverage.
Although Zakot was no stranger to cover the horrible nature of war in the region, the recent climbing felt “different,” he said.
“Us [needed] To cover every moment from the beginning to the end, documenting everything to show the truth. “
Since October 7, 2023 Israel has banned members of foreign media to enter the Gaza Strip, so local journalists have been sharing photos, videos and stories with the rest of the world.
For about 10 months, while the Palestinians fled from Israel’s military action in the Gaza Strip, Zakot ran towards danger and destruction, capturing war.
Likewise, in Zakot’s mind was the safety of his family, including three young children, who lived in a tent.
“They need food. They need water. They need medical support. They need psychological support,” he recalled.
Remembering Anas Al-Sharif
While balancing the journalistic duty and security of his family in the months that Zakot reported from the bloody conflict in Gaza, he lost, and continues to lose, appreciated colleagues.
Recently, Israeli forces killed five jazeera journaliststhat had been operating from a multimedia store in front of the Al-Shifa hospital in the city of Gaza.
Listening | Ahmed Zakot remembers Anas Al-Sharif:
The currentSix journalists in Gaza killed by Israeli air attack
One of those journalists was Anas Al-Sharif, 28, whose report in the war zone had won a reputation as “La Voz de Gaza”.
Israel said the strike successfully attacked Hamas militants, but human rights defenders and freedom of the press say it was destined to silence journalists who reported on the land.
About seven years ago, Zakot remembers having met a young Al-Sharif at a press conference for the Ministry of Health, where the early race journalist walked around the room trembling anxiously and introducing himself to the other members of the press.
“He was brave and very excited,” Zakot said. “He started his career and [was] dreaming of improving it. “
Listening | The cost of informing from Gaza:
Front burnerThe murder of Gaza journalists
As the most experienced journalist, Zakot said he gave him advice: “The most important thing [is] You have to stay safe because nothing is worth your life. “
In 2024, as the conflict showed no signs of ceases, Zakot took his own advice and turned his family’s vision in Canada.
Change the approach
After a challenging application process in the midst of the dangers of war, Zakot and his family finally arrived in Canada, staggered, in the summer of 2024 through a special visa program for Palestinians with family in Canada.
Zakot said, over the years, he had longed to capture more of the beauty of his home, such as sunrise and sun posts over Gaza.
Now in Alberta, he has the opportunity to concentrate on the beauty of his Canadian home, with the promise of security and new experiences for his family, such as seeing snow for the first time or feeling the chaotic climate of Calgary.
“We have no snow in Gaza. Never. Our weather is good, beautiful in summer and beautiful in winter,” he said. “Here, it’s totally different and we feel [all] Four seasons on the same day.
“The circumstances, the environment, tourism, beauty, nature here in Calgary helped us especially adjust us [the kids] and treat them. “
Professionally, the winner of the Pulitzer award is still taking photos as a independent photojournalist, which recently covers the G7 summit in Kananaskis and federal elections.
But Zakot’s goal is now to learn more about what matters locally, so that he can share the stories of the Calgarians, not forgetting their roots.
“Step by step and day by day, we are already adjusted: make friends, relationships with people, communities, beneficial organizations.”
