Gaza through Their Eyes

The Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and the European Commission's Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Department (ECHO) present Gaza through Their Eyes, an exhibition bringing together twenty-seven photographs taken by photojournalists who, since October 2023, have documented life in the Strip under siege. 

For nearly two years, the Gaza Strip — an area of just 365 square kilometres — has been ravaged. Home to over 2.1 million people, this besieged enclave has endured near-constant bombardment, forced displacement, destruction, and the collapse of basic services. Families face fear, hunger, dehydration, and loss — with limited access to food, clean water, medicine, and shelter. 

The destruction of Gaza is apocalyptic. Entire neighbourhoods and cities have been flattened. Israeli military operations have widely impacted civilian buildings, including people’s homes, hospitals, schools, and UN premises. These are all protected under International Humanitarian Law. So are humanitarian workers, whose job is critical in providing lifesaving aid to civilians during crises. Over 330 UNRWA team members have been killed in Gaza, some of them in the line of duty. Many were killed with their family members: whole families wiped out. 

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has long served the people of Gaza. For decades, it has provided education, healthcare, protection, vocational training, psychosocial support, and humanitarian aid. Since October 2023, UNRWA has shifted to emergency response: schools became shelters, and over 12,000 staff — many displaced themselves — continue delivering lifesaving assistance. Support from the European Union and its people has been instrumental: providing water, sanitation, and hygiene services, mental health and learning activities for children, logistics and storage for humanitarian supplies, and critical shelter items for displaced families and collaborating with photojournalists to document the situation. 

Meanwhile, Israeli authorities continue to ban international media from Gaza, while more than 200 Palestinian journalists have been killed. Despite this, and often at great personal risk, UNRWA photojournalists document life under siege. They are people who risk their lives to bear witness to what is happening in Gaza. However, you will not see their names on these photographs, as it would pose a risk to their protection. 

This exhibition is their lens. It is Gaza’s voice. It is a call not to look away.