MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, YOGYAKARTA – The photographs displayed throughout the ground-floor exhibition hall of the Graduate School Building at Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta (UMY) are more than visual works of art. Each frame captures fragments of reality in Palestine, portraying the lives of the people who have endured years of war, blockade, and an unrelenting humanitarian crisis.
Through a photo exhibition titled Palestine Through the Lens, held on Monday (29/6), UMY showcased the works of two international journalists: Palestinian photojournalist Mohammed Asad and Australian journalist Zoe Reynold. The exhibition forms part of the university’s broader effort to raise public awareness and strengthen humanitarian solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Photography as a Window to Human Reality
Filosa Gita Sukmono, Head of UMY’s Department of Communication Studies, explained that photography possesses a unique ability to present reality in ways that words often cannot.
According to him, images have the power to speak directly to the human conscience.
“These photographs invites us to witness firsthand the realities unfolding in Palestine. We hope they continue to cultivate public humanitarian awareness so that the Palestinian issue never fades from global attention,” said Filosa, who also serves as Director of the Muhammadiyah Professional Certification Institute (LSP).
He noted that the exhibition brings together two complementary perspectives.
Zoe Reynold’s documentation portrays humanitarian conditions along the Egypt–Palestine border, while Mohammed Asad’s photographs offer a direct glimpse into the daily lives of civilians living at the heart of the conflict in the Gaza Strip.
Gaza Journalists Risk Their Lives to Document the Truth
For Mohammed Asad, every photograph displayed represents only a small fraction of a much larger humanitarian tragedy. Over the past two years, journalists in Gaza have continued their work under extreme conditions, facing constant threats from airstrikes while struggling with severe limitations in communication infrastructure.
Asad described how media offices have been destroyed, press vehicles bombed, fuel supplies blocked, and internet access repeatedly disrupted. He also noted that more than 263 journalists have reportedly lost their lives while carrying out their professional duties. Despite these challenges, journalists remain committed to documenting events so the world can witness what is happening on the ground.
“We walk for miles carrying nothing but our mobile phones to document the reality around us. Please continue supporting us so that Palestine is not forgotten,” Asad said emotionally.
His testimony underscores that journalism in conflict zones is not merely about reporting the news. It is about risking one’s life to ensure that the truth reaches the global public.
Meanwhile, Zoe Reynold highlighted another challenge emerging in today’s digital landscape. While processing conflict-related documentation using artificial intelligence (AI), she found that some AI systems were unable—or unwilling—to generate visuals depicting violence against Palestinian civilians.
“It is deeply ironic that technology, which is supposed to be neutral, sometimes fails to represent the reality on the ground objectively,” she remarked.
According to Zoe, this serves as an important reminder that technological tools still require human oversight and humanitarian perspectives to prevent them from obscuring reality.
Photography as Humanitarian Advocacy
Filosa emphasized that the exhibition is not a mere display of journalistic work or photographic artistry. More importantly, it represents a form of humanitarian advocacy that encourages the public to remain concerned about the plight of the Palestinian people.
“We hope these photographs move the hearts of every visitor. We may not be able to stand physically in Palestine, but we can continue advocating for their freedom through our work, our ideas, and our humanitarian solidarity,” he said.
The Palestine Through the Lens exhibition serves as a powerful reminder that casualty figures or statistical reports alone is not enough for the people to understand humanitarian tragedies. Behind every number are human lives, families, hopes, and struggles captured through the lenses of courageous journalists.
For Muhammadiyah, the exhibition reaffirms the importance of maintaining global collective awareness of humanitarian issues. Amid the overwhelming flow of information in today’s world, photography remains a powerful medium for preserving memory, fostering empathy, and continuing to advocate for justice and the fundamental human rights of the Palestinian people. (Bhisma)
