Rita Baroud

As a Safe Haven Fellow, journalist and writer Rita Baroud explores the emerging genre of citizen journalism and literary testimony during the ongoing siege in Gaza. With international journalists barred from entering and local media severely targeted, civilians have taken on the role of frontline reporters. Baroud’s project investigates how this form of reporting—shaped by personal experience and immediate danger—redefines traditional journalistic standards of distance and objectivity.

Her research focuses on the testimonial literary essay, a hybrid form combining factual documentation with personal reflection. Through comparative analysis of citizen-produced content, local journalism, and Western media coverage, Baroud examines how perspective, tone, and narrative techniques differ across these sources. She also draws on interviews with both civilian and professional journalists, including those denied access to Gaza.

This two-part project contributes to wider discussions on the boundaries between literature and journalism, and the evolving role of the journalist as both witness and victim. In parallel, Baroud is developing her own essays, offering a rare and personal account of life under siege from the perspective of a young Palestinian woman.

FOTO: Arthur Larie