More freedom and risk: military correspondent Bild compared the wars in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip
Date: 2023-11-10 Author: Кирило Загоруйко Categories: WAR
The work of war correspondents at the front in Ukraine is much more dangerous than in the Gaza Strip, but at the same time, in Ukraine, journalists have more freedom in the front-line zone. This was stated by the deputy editor-in-chief of the German publication Bild, Paul Ronzheimer, who regularly visits hot spots and has been on the front line in Ukraine several times.
This week Ronzheimer visited the front lines in the Gaza Strip, where the Israeli army is waging a slow advance deeper into territory held by Hamas militants. This allowed him to compare the realities of the war in Ukraine and Gaza from personal experience.
“It’s completely different from what it is now in Ukraine. There you go there with your team, then you wait. Perhaps you even go in your own car until a certain point, then you transfer to an armored vehicle. Or, for example, as in Bakhmut, you have to go yourself and "You could come under fire on the way. So, actually, it seemed to me that it was much riskier in Ukraine," Ronzheimer said.
The work of war correspondents in Israel looks somewhat different, admits a German journalist. “[In Israel] everything is incredibly well organized. We had to sign documents in advance. This did not happen in Ukraine at all,” the journalist said
Ronzheimer noted that in Ukraine “everything is much simpler” in terms of organization and sometimes “you can stay for one or two weeks with Ukrainian soldiers.” At the same time, in Gaza, the entire trip to the front lasted no more than 3 hours. Moreover, the journey from the border kibbutz to the front line under military guard took only 10 minutes, whereas in Ukraine such a journey takes approximately 2 hours.
