Gaza’s first female photojournalist on persevering through conflict
#35 – Eman Mohammed
When she was nineteen, Eman got a job at a news agency in Bethlehem and started enquiring about what it would entail to leap from reporting to photojournalism. Despite being met with continued resistance by male colleagues and her boss, Mohammed persevered. So, her colleagues decided to teach her a lesson.
In 2008, Israel launched attacks on the Gaza Strip with the stated aim of suppressing rocket fire from Hamas. One day, as fighting peaked, Eman was offered a lift by three colleagues who said they were going to cover a story. When they got to their destination, Eman got out the car and the three men promptly drove off, waving and laughing. Disoriented, Eman sought help from a passerby and ended up being sexually harassed. Rather than defeating her, the experience strengthened her resolve to pursue a career in photojournalism.
“It was too much to take in the space of one hour. I thought I can either survive this or perish. It created a strong reaction. If you poke someone you will get their attention, but they didn’t stop at poking me – they hammered me on the head. So they created this reaction where you want to stay and fight.”
This is just a short excerpt from Huck’s Fiftieth Special, a collection of fifty personal stories from fifty inspiring lives.
Grab a copy now to read all fifty stories in full. Subscribe to make sure you don’t miss another issue.
You might like
Inside the grunge golden age with Hole’s former bassist
My ’90s Rock Photographs — Melissa Auf der Maur’s new photobook is a sprawling visual memoir of her time at the heart of the US scene, from Tinker to The Smashing Pumpkins.
Introducing ‘The Chaos Isles’, a new photozine by Huck and Yushy
Normal Island — From unlicensed raves to the solstice at Stonehenge, furries to giant vegetable growers, Yushy is one of the UK’s best lensmen of its wild side. ‘The Chaos Isles’ will be sent out exclusively to Club Huck+ members.
Join Club Huck+ to get the most from Huck
Dispatches from the sharp edge of culture — Members get our print magazine, special photozines, The Huck Long Read newsletter, discounts from our friends and partners, digital versions of back issues and priority access to events.
Signs of solidarity as London marks three years of genocide in Palestine
Never forget — 250,000 people gathered on Saturday as Israeli attacks have continued in Gaza and the West Bank. Daisy Schofield photographed the diverse people and placards in attendance.
Landmark new exhibition is celebrating 50 years of female punk
God Save the Queens — The Museum of Youth Culture is bringing together rare photography, archive material and a one-night-only supergroup featuring members of X-Ray Spex, The Slits and The Raincoats.
Halcyon, end of summer days in ’80s Massachusetts
Bell Pond — Stephen DiRado’s new photobook is a nostalgic look at blissed out moments of young love, family and coming of age at a swimming pond in Worcester, Massachusetts.
