From 23 September to 19 October, the Central Hall at the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum will host an exhibition that brings together twenty-seven photographs taken by photojournalists who have been documenting life on the strip under siege since October 2023.
The Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and the European Commission's Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Department (ECHO) present this exhibition, which seeks to make a call to people not to look the other way.
The destruction of Gaza is terrible. Entire neighbourhoods and cities have been devastated, where Israeli military operations have attacked civilian buildings, including homes, hospitals, schools and UN premises. They are all protected under International Humanitarian Law, as are humanitarian workers, whose main task is to provide vital aid to the civil population during crises. Over 360 UNRWA team members have been killed in Gaza, some of them in the line of duty. Many were killed alongside their family members.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has served the people of Gaza for decades, providing education, healthcare, protection, vocational training, psychosocial support and humanitarian aid. Since October 2023, UNRWA has focused its support on emergency response, with schools becoming shelters and more than 12,000 workers continue to provide vital assistance. Support from the European Union and its citizens has been key.
Israeli authorities are still banning international media from entering Gaza and more than 200 Palestinian journalists have been killed. Despite this, UNRWA photojournalists are documenting life under siege, risking their lives to provide evidence of what is happening in Gaza. However, their names do not appear on these photographs, as it would pose a risk to their safety.
Image Credit:
© 2025. UNRWA photo
