Gaza through Their Eyes

From 23 September to 19 October 2025
January 2025. Gaza. Dozens of Palestinians return to their homes

Press release

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 has been devastated, enduring almost constant bombardment, forced displacement, destruction and the collapse of basic services. Israeli military operations have indiscriminately targeted civilian buildings, including homes, hospitals, schools and United Nations facilities.

 

UNRWA has served the people of Gaza for decades, providing education, healthcare, protection, vocational training, psychosocial support and humanitarian aid, and since October 2023 has focused its efforts on responding to this emergency.

 

Israeli authorities continue to ban international media from Gaza, while more than 200 Palestinian journalists have been killed. Despite this, UNRWA photojournalists document life under siege, risking their lives to bear witness to what is happening in Gaza.

 

Unión Europea
UNRWA Internacional
View full release Release in PDF

Images and list of artworks

Many of the people who returned to the north during the ceasefire came back to find their homes reduced to rubble, and had to bury loved ones still trapped beneath the debris
Many of the people who returned to the north during the ceasefire came back to find their homes reduced to rubble, and had to bury loved ones still trapped beneath the debris
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People reach out to bread in central Gaza, October 2024. The Israeli blockade affects all supplies, including food.
People reach out to bread in central Gaza, October 2024. The Israeli blockade affects all supplies, including food.
Low resolution
UNRWA manages waste collection to curb the spread of disease amid overcrowding, heat, and shortages of medical supplies
UNRWA manages waste collection to curb the spread of disease amid overcrowding, heat, and shortages of medical supplies
Low resolution
As the Israeli military incursion began in Rafah, an estimated 1.4 million people were displaced overnight, forced to flee again with whatever they could carry, May 2024
As the Israeli military incursion began in Rafah, an estimated 1.4 million people were displaced overnight, forced to flee again with whatever they could carry, May 2024
Low resolution
List of artworks (PDF)

Gaza through Their Eyes

From 23 September to 19 October 2025

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. 

 

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.  

 

UNRWA: https://www.unrwa.org/ 

 

EXHIBITION DETAILS

Title: Gaza through Their Eyes

Organiser: Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, with the collaboration of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

Venue and dates: Madrid, Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, from 23 September to 19 October 2025.

Number of works: 27.

 


VISITOR INFORMATION 

Address: Paseo del Prado, 8. 28014, Madrid. Hall. 

Opening times: Mondays, 12 pm to 4 pm; Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 7 pm; Saturdays, 10 am to 11 pm.

Free access.

More information: www.museothyssen.org/en

 

PRESS INFORMATION

https://www.museothyssen.org/en/private-area/press/dossiers/gaza-through-their-eyes