For the first time, Press House held a hearing session on investigative journalism with presence of investigative journalists and writers.

Gaza- Press House

Based on the philosophy of Press House – Palestine (BAS), in seeking to promote the principle of freedom of opinion and expression and support the independent media, and in order for the institution to continue to raise issues of violations against journalists (from both sex) in Palestine, specifically violations of the investigative journalism, and to strengthen the principle of the accountability.

On Thursday, July 9, 2020, Press House – Palestine (BAS) organized a public hearing session within "Face the Press" sessions, bringing together the Attorney General of Gaza, Mr. Diaa al-Din Al-Madhoun, along with a group of journalists and investigative journalists, as well as the heads of blocs, press, and writers in the Gaza Strip.

Mr. Belal Jadallah, the general director of Press House, said in his speech that this meeting, which hosts investigative journalists who have been subjected to violations while preparing their investigations, "represents an opportunity to enhance the reality of investigative journalism and to enhance the reality of freedoms in the Palestinian media, because of the problems and violations that investigative journalists are exposed to during the preparation of investigations."

Mr. Jadallah added that such meetings work on the convergence of views between journalists and decision-makers in society to create an environment that supports freedom of opinion and expression, the right to have the information and the accountability and strengthens the role of independent media.

It is noteworthy that investigative journalism, one of the types of journalism in which journalists investigate a particular subject that constitutes danger or corruption in the political, social, economic and other systems, supported by reports and witnesses, where the investigative journalist spends months and years researching to prepare his investigation, and the investigative journalism is considered an important and main source of information.

From his part, the Attorney General listened to the complaints of journalists and women journalists and the most prominent challenges they face during the preparation of their investigations, saying: "Such meetings open the way for a closer look at the role of investigative journalism and ways to address the problems that faces, and convergence of views ‎between the work of journalists and the judiciary in Gaza."

Mr. Al-Madhoun called on journalists to be accurate, transparent and objective in their investigations, and to file complaints in the event of any errors or corruption in accordance with the law, in support of the work of investigative journalism in the Gaza Strip.

From its part, Mr. Wael Balousha, the director of the Regional Office of the Coalition for Accountability and Integrity (AMAN) in Gaza Strip, said that the work of the investigative journalism faces a number of obstacles, including what falls on the government in Gaza, such as the right of the journalist to access information and therefore resort to legal and illegal ways to obtain it.

Mr. Wael Balousha, director of the Regional Office of the Aman Coalition in the Gaza Strip, said that the work of the investigative journalism face a number of obstacles, including what falls on the government in Gaza, such as the right of the journalist to access information and therefore resort to legal and illegal ways to obtain it.

Mr. Balousha added the other side falls on the journalist, who may sometimes be unaware of the legal culture of journalistic work, on the one hand, and the laws of dissemination through social media platforms on the other.

The meeting included many participations by the participants in the interview, which focused on presenting the obstacles they face during their work in the field of investigative journalism in Gaza on the one hand, and presenting proposals that will enhance this reality.

This meeting is part of a series of meetings held by Press House- Palestine between journalists, writers and graduates of media college, with officials and decision makers in Palestine.