Activestills photographers have been documenting life, death and resistance across Palestine for over two decades, bearing witness to genocide, apartheid and ethnic cleansing.

After years of heavy use in difficult conditions, part of their equipment needs repair or replacement, and some photographers have lost their gear entirely as a result of displacement.

This campaign aims to help them replace essential gear.

Doaa Albaz lost her photography equipment in the many displacements she has been forced to endure since the beginning of the genocide, but continues her invaluable work only using her phone. We’re raising funds to provide her with a complete new photography kit - including a camera, lenses, and a microphone - so she can continue her work.

Youssef Zaanoun has been using the old equipment left to him by his brother Mohammed Zaanoun, who managed to leave Gaza at the beginning of 2024. Youssef’s lenses have been damaged by the harsh conditions in the field, and his camera is old and worn out. We aim to provide him with a new professional kit.

Doaa and Youssef have been documenting mass destruction, displacement, children starving to death as Israel weaponizes aid and the killing of their colleagues, while also facing repeated displacement, direct threats, injuries, separation from their family, grief and hunger.

Their photos have brought immeasurable value to the collective archives, and Activestills has worked hard to share them with the world through social media, exhibitions, and partnerships with media outlets, non-profit organisations and activists.

Since October 2023, Israel has barred international journalists from unsupervised access to Gaza, leaving Palestinian journalists the sole documenters of their own genocide. Despite personal risk and the targeting of journalists, Activestills photographers continue to document the genocide in Gaza, persevering in their efforts to expose the truth and demand justice, accountability and liberation.

Activestills members have also worked tirelessly to cover Israeli colonial violence and Palestinian resistance in the occupied West Bank, even as conditions on the ground grow increasingly dangerous and difficult.

Wahaj Bani Moufleh is an award-winning photographer based in Beita, in the north of the West Bank. He started photographing in 2021, when his cousin, Zakariya Hamail, was killed by Israeli soldiers while protesting against the settler takeover of Jabal Sbih, surrounding his hometown. Wahaj documented Beita’s popular resistance, braving live and rubber bullets, beatings, arrests and tear gas. Since then, he has continued to cover events in his town, as well as military operations in refugee camps and the mass displacement of Palestinian communities in the West Bank. His work has led to repeated harassment and detention by both the Israeli army and the Palestinian Authority.

Wahaj was recently injured when a tear gas canister shot by Israeli soldiers struck his foot while he was covering the olive harvest in Beita. Despite his injury, he continued his crucial work.

Mosab Shawer is based in Hebron, in the southern West Bank. For more than 15 years, he has documented settler violence, land confiscations, house demolitions and the closures and restrictions that disrupt daily life and livelihoods. He has also faced several attacks and arrests. Mosab was attacked in October 2023, when he was injured by a rubber bullet in the thigh, and chased by soldiers who confiscated and smashed his camera. In early 2025, while covering an army raid, he was assaulted again, struck in the face and head by soldiers, leaving him with a broken nose and bruising on his neck.

Wahaj’s camera is worn out, and Mosab’s also needs upgrading along with his lenses. Given the repeated attacks on journalists and restrictions on press freedom by Israeli forces, having high-quality telephoto lenses is crucial. It allows photographers to document events from a relatively safer distance, especially during home demolitions, military raids and settler attacks.

These outstanding photographers are freelancers, working without regular salaries under precarious and dangerous conditions. Your contributions will support those on the frontlines documenting the truth.

Budget:

Funds will go toward replacing cameras, lenses and batteries, laptops and storage gear. Here is a breakdown of costs:

Equipment for Doaa Albaz:

Camera body - 2500€

Lenses - 2500€

Battery - 125€

Microphone - 80€

Bag - 90€

Power bank - 80€

Memory card - 50€

Card reader - 50€

Total: 5475€

Equipment for Youssef Zaanoun:

Camera body - 2500€

Lenses - 2500€

Battery - 125€

Total: 5125€

Equipment for Mosab Shawer:

Camera body - 2500€

Lenses - 2500€

Battery - 125€

Total: 5125€

Equipment for Wahaj Bani Moufleh:

Camera body - 2500€

Lenses - 2500€

Battery - 125€

Total: 5125€

Additional costs:

Repair budget - 2000€

Due to the challenging field conditions, each year photographers will need assistance with repairing their equipment.

Hard drives: 1500€

Total budget: 24,350€

The total budget is 24,350€; we are rounding it up to 25,000€ to include additional fees.

About us:

The Activestills photography collective has been documenting Israeli colonial violence and Palestinian resistance since 2005. The collective sees its work as part of the struggle against all forms of oppression, racism, and violations of the basic right to freedom.

As Palestinians can’t access GoFundMe campaigns themselves, the funds will be received by HuBB - Humans Before Borders, a collective based in Portugal, and transferred to Activestills to buy equipment for photographers.

Transparency

All funds will be distributed by Activestills, who will share updates with donors.