From Israel's war on Gaza to the US presidential election, Middle East Eye has broken several major stories in 2024 (MEE illustration by Anas Alkarmi)
We started 2024 with Ismail Haniyeh as the head of Hamas’ political bureau, Hassan Nasrallah as the secretary general of Hezbollah and Bashar al-Assad as the president of Syria.
As the year comes to a close, Hamas is still operational, but many of its top leaders, including Haniyeh, have been killed.
Nasrallah is also dead and has since been succeeded by Naim Qassem, Hezbollah’s strategist, ideologue and second-in-command for over 33 years.
Meanwhile, Assad has been forced to seek asylum in Russia after a lightning offensive by Syrian rebels ended his decades-long grip on power.
The events of this year have been truly extraordinary, catching many seasoned political observers completely off guard.
As western powers continue to enable and support the bloodbath in Gaza, the power dynamics in the Middle East will continue to change, most likely for the worse.
Below, our journalists have selected some of the stories and articles they enjoyed reading and explain why they mattered to them.
A tour of Assad’s homes with the Syrians who stormed them
By Daniel Hilton / Chosen by Faisal Edroos, Head of Editorial
Syrian rebel fighter Abu Jassim pictured at a Damascus palace used by Russian diplomats on 12 December 2024 (MEE/Daniel Hilton)
") rgba(220, 220, 220, 0.5); top: -15px; left: 0px;">Extract: “Today, the Assad family’s bedrooms are a graveyard of designer clothes boxes. Chanel here, Givenchy there, and a large package from Aishti, the upmarket Lebanese department store.”
The rapid collapse of Assad’s government took almost everyone by surprise.
In less than a fortnight, a coalition of rebels led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) accomplished what had seemed out of reach for over a decade.
Front lines fell one after the other as the rebels seized Hama, then Homs and finally Damascus.
As the Syrian army melted away, Assad - the reviled leader of the war-battered state - fled with his family and fortune to Moscow.
Daniel Hilton was among the first English-language journalists to visit the country and witnessed first-hand the opulent trappings of the Assad dynasty that inflicted terror and poverty on the Syrian people.
In one of the palaces he visited, Daniel described how cherished mementoes of Assad family life lay scattered across the floors, alongside French and Italian magazines and horror movies on DVD.
Daniel’s reporting was rounded and full of insight. He would later travel to other areas of the country and report on how and why the Syrian army crumbled, visit the town where Assad starved its people to death and meet the defiant Palestinians of Yarmouk, the refugee camp that became infamous after a photograph of residents queueing for food in a bombed-out street became one of the war’s defining images.
Palestinian with Down syndrome ‘left to die’ by Israeli soldiers after combat dog attack
By Maha Hussaini / Chosen by Simon Hooper, Head of Investigations
Muhammed Bhar, 24, pictured in his home in Gaza City (Supplied)
") rgba(220, 220, 220, 0.5); top: -15px; left: 0px;">Extract: “Desperate screams as he struggled to free himself from a combat dog unleashed by Israeli soldiers. This is the last image Nabila Ahmed Bhar recalls of her son Muhammed, 24, who had Down syndrome.”
As legal cases brought against Israel and Israeli officials over the war in Gaza grind on in international courts, Maha Hussaini’s courageous and sensitive reporting has put names and faces to at least a few of the tens of thousands of Palestinians killed, tortured and brutalised by Israeli forces in the past year.
Thanks to Maha, the story of Muhammed Bhar, a 24-year-old man with severe Down’s syndrome who was left by soldiers to die in his family’s home in Gaza City after being mauled by Israeli army dogs, made global headlines.
Her story about the experiences of Hadeel al-Dahdouh, the only woman among dozens of captive men photographed blindfolded and half-naked aboard an Israeli army truck who described being tortured and buried alive, was no less harrowing.
In another horrendous year for Palestinian journalists, the bravery of Maha and all her professional colleagues in Gaza stands as an inspiration to us all.
How the Houthis mined commercial intelligence to sabotage global trade
By Sean Mathews / Chosen by Shaheryar Mirza, US Editor
Armed supporters of Yemen's Houthi rebels during a rally in solidarity with Palestine in the capital Sanaa, on 29 January 2024 (AFP)
Extract: “The Houthis’ use of publicly available ship navigation data and other information that can be obtained with paid subscriptions on maritime intelligence sites is an unprecedented case of an Iran-backed group deploying open-source information widely accessible in the West against the US and its allies. The starting point for Houthi attacks is basic ship identification and navigation data that everyone from rookie social media snoops to sleuthing journalists and powerful navies use to track vessels.”
Sean Mathews’ exclusive report on the Houthis is a great example of enterprise reporting that emerged from a simple discussion about how the Houthis are choosing and tracking targets.
As Israel’s war in Gaza raged and the Houthis disrupted global trade in solidarity with Palestinians, little was known about how this relatively small group was able to exact such a heavy commercial price from some of the world’s most powerful countries.
Sean’s strong network of contacts in the shipping industry and Washington illustrated how simple tools largely emanating from the West and widely available to the public can tip the scales in a David versus Goliath-styled battle.
The piece revealed greater insight into how fragile the foundations of the global trade system are leaving it vulnerable to significant disruption from even small non-state actors. At the time the piece was published, the IMF stated that container shipping through the Red Sea was down 30 percent.
The piece also revealed the geopolitics of trade by identifying which powers were ready to fill the vacuum left by the Houthis’ disruptions.
This report was just one in a long line of exclusive stories from both the US and Middle East that Sean has managed to score this year.
‘Raped by female soldiers’: Palestinian in leaked Sde Teiman photo speaks out
By Mohammed al-Hajjar / Chosen by Huthifa Fayyad, Journalist
After spending eight months in Israeli detention, Ibrahim Salem was released last week and is now in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza (MEE/Mohammed al-Hajjar)
") rgba(220, 220, 220, 0.5); top: -15px; left: 0px;">Extract: “Blindfolded, arms behind his head and standing by the barbed wire fence of the Israeli Sde Teiman detention camp. It was one of the first photos leaked from the notorious army base, where thousands of Palestinian prisoners were held without charge and routinely tortured.”
Mohammed al-Hajjar has been nothing short of an inspiration over the past year, with his contributions to Middle East Eye standing out for their originality, humanity and impact.
However, this particular story, which he co-wrote with Nader Durgham, stands out for me.
It presents a powerful and personal first-hand testimony from Palestinian detainee Ibrahim Salem about the abuse and trauma he endured at the hands of Israeli forces while in detention.
Salem was featured in the iconic Sde Teiman photo, which shocked the world and became the first visual evidence of the widespread torture occurring in Israeli detention centres.
Salem’s testimony, shared with Hajjar after his release in Gaza, reveals deeply disturbing practices such as sexual assault and electrocution, shedding light on the harsh realities within Israeli detention centres.
This contribution plays a crucial role in the broader conversation about the alleged Israeli war crimes in Gaza.
By focusing on Salem’s ordeal, Hajjar’s story humanises the Palestinian experience, making the war more accessible and personal to international audiences.
Inside the Turkey-backed Somalia-Ethiopia deal
By Ragip Soylu / Chosen by Elis Gjevori, Journalist
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (left), Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (centre) and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (right) in Ankara on 11 December 2024 (Turkish Presidency/Handout)
") rgba(220, 220, 220, 0.5); top: -15px; left: 0px;">Extract: “The Turkish government had been attempting to mediate the seaport crisis between the two countries for almost a year through two rounds of negotiations, but no tangible progress had been made beyond vague statements of goodwill.”
Covering Turkey is no simple task.
The country’s dynamic political landscape and its intricate web of diplomatic manoeuvres require not just diligence but a nuanced understanding of its regional and global positioning.
Yet, Middle East Eye’s bureau chief, Ragip Soylu, approaches the challenge with a deftness that makes it seem effortless.
Soylu’s reporting stands out not only for its depth but also for the breadth of his sources. A plethora of contacts across political, diplomatic and security circles grants him a unique vantage point, allowing readers to peer into the complexities of Turkish policymaking.
Among the many stories Soylu has covered this year, this one stands out for its rarity and relevance.
At a time when wars are alarmingly easy to ignite and harder to end, Soylu gives us a window into Ankara’s successful mediation between the two African nations, averting a potential conflict.
His reporting goes beyond merely recounting events; it reveals the strategic nuance and careful diplomacy that define Turkey’s evolving role on the global stage.
For those eager to understand the shifting sands of geopolitics, Soylu’s work is indispensable. Personally, I can’t wait to read his next deep dive.
One man’s journey from an Israeli prison to founding the Abandon Harris movement
By Umar Farooq / Chosen by Azad Essa, Senior Reporter
Hassan Abdel Salam is a co-founder of the Abandon Harris campaign (Abandon Harris)
") rgba(220, 220, 220, 0.5); top: -15px; left: 0px;">Extract:“Hassan Abdel Salam never saw himself as an activist at the forefront of a pivotal moment in a US election, but a stint in Israeli detention thrust him into a struggle to stop American military support for Israel.”
The Democratic Party expected Muslims and Arab Americans to come out and vote for Kamala Harris as “the lesser evil” in November’s presidential election despite the administration’s unwavering support for Israel’s war on Gaza.
Umar Farooq spoke to Hassan Abdel Salam, one of the main personalities behind the Abandon Harris movement, a grassroots initiative that sought to encourage Muslim and Arab Americans, in particular, to imagine politics beyond the Democratic Party.
The story capped off an extraordinary series of US election stories by Farooq, who examined the faultlines within the Muslim and Arab American community within the backdrop of the carnage in Gaza.
Sudan’s villages take up arms but powerless to stop RSF massacres
By Mohammed Amin / Chosen by Alex MacDonald, Journalist
A fighter loyal to Sudan's army holds up a weapon during a graduation ceremony in the southeastern Gedaref state on 27 May (AFP)
") rgba(220, 220, 220, 0.5); top: -15px; left: 0px;">Extract: “An RSF soldier asked to marry her. We rejected that because she is very young. But the soldier took her, and suddenly, he had been joined by 15 others, who took turns raping her. One of her relatives tried to defend her, but they shot him dead in front of everyone.”
Any of Mohammed Amin’s work from Sudan qualifies as among the most provocative and important reporting of the year.
The ongoing catastrophe in Sudan is often referred to as a “forgotten” conflict compared to Gaza, Ukraine or Syria, but the lives of those involved are no less valuable. The cynics who would either ignore the conflict or use it as a stick to undermine other concerns would do well to follow Amin’s reporting and see what is actually happening on the ground.
Amin has been able to gather testimony on what has been a crisis of sexual violence for Sudanese women, which has been raging for almost two years and seen war criminals behaving with impunity.
He has also documented the brave Sudanese civil activists and ordinary people who have attempted to push back against the havoc sweeping their country since they drove out President Omar Hassan al-Bashir in 2019.
A short history of the ancient Lebanese villages destroyed by Israel
By Wassim Mroueh / Chosen by Nader Durgham, Journalist
Damage inside Saint George church caused by Israeli shelling in Yaroun, southern Lebanon, 28 November 2023 (Reuters/Aziz Taher)
") rgba(220, 220, 220, 0.5); top: -15px; left: 0px;">Extract:“Mays al-Jabal’s inhabitants are known for their stubbornness. It has survived many ordeals throughout the centuries and its unbending and steadfast nature reflects the nettle trees, known as mays in Arabic, which gave the village its name and beautify many of its streets.”
Israel's war on Lebanon destroyed so much so quickly that it was difficult to keep track of everything that was lost.
While much of the media coverage of Israel's ground invasion focused on Hezbollah's knowledge of the southern Lebanese terrain, its tunnel network and Israel's strategy behind its destruction of Lebanese border towns, few people tried to sit down and properly look at what was being erased.
Wassim Mroueh's piece not only humanises the small, beautiful border villages Israel destroyed, but it also gives a sense of Lebanon's deep and detailed history, portraying things beyond the battlefield.
Mroueh's deep love for history is very clear in this piece, and he takes us on a short but lovely trip with him.
Why there is an abandoned Ottoman tomb in remote India
By Imran Mulla / Chosen by Rayhan Uddin, Journalist
Abdulmecid II, the last caliph, dreamt of resurrecting the caliphate abolished by Turkey (MEE illustration)
Extract: “And then it appeared, small at first, in the distance on a plateau, but unmistakable: an Ottoman mausoleum, around 15 metres tall and eight metres wide, with a large Turkish-style dome on top, latticed windows and archways on all four sides.”
In this long-read, Imran Mulla takes us on a journey which spans thousands of miles, and one hundred years, revealing a fascinating attempt to revive the Ottoman caliphate.
The story begins in a stunning - if derelict and damaged - Ottoman tomb in the wilderness of Maharashtra in India.
The tomb was built as a resting place for the final Ottoman caliph, Abdelmecid II, who was exiled to Europe in the 1920s after the new Turkish republic abolished his title.
The deposed leader was never ultimately buried there, but after his exile, he attempted to resurrect the caliphate with the help of the then-richest man in the world: the nizam of Hyderabad.
The plan involved a strategic marriage and union, as well as confidential letters and documents seen by Imran.
Looking for Gaza in California: How Palestine took over family, Hollywood and campuses
By Joseph Fahim / Chosen by Shafik Mandhai, Senior Discover Editor
The city of Los Angeles glimmers beneath the Hollywood sign (AFP/Mario Tam)
") rgba(220, 220, 220, 0.5); top: -15px; left: 0px;">Extract:“Many have failed Palestinians: Arab regimes, western governments, business leaders, art institutions, religious bodies. Figures in the upper echelons of power - in art, business, and politics - still don't know how to deal with Palestine, adopting the same gutless position and clinging to the hope that the storm will pass.”
When I watch a movie I enjoy these days, I am tempted to look up the director or actor's name to see if they have spoken about the ongoing atrocities in Gaza.
One might ask why it is necessary to inspect the political leanings of random celebrities, but Hollywood has a proud tradition of commenting on and taking a progressive stance on every social issue.
If Darfur, climate change and race equality are topics worth talking about, then why isn't the senseless slaughter of tens of thousands of children in Gaza?
Unfortunately, while some celebrities have spoken up, many remain timid in their criticisms of Israel or silent altogether. Joseph Fahim is one industry insider ready to hold Hollywood's feet to the fire.
His criticism of the entertainment industry's silence on Gaza has been relentless and empathic. As a writer, Fahim is ready not just to wield the stick of admonishment but also to underline the very human reasons why people stay silent.
The piece I have selected demonstrates how his and his family's experience of the war on Gaza intersects with the wider societal response. It is just one example in a body of work by Fahim that deserves wider recognition.
Inside Israeli Telegram Channels
By Maya-Nora Saaid / Chosen by Ashfaaq Carim, Head of Long-form Video
Extract: “In the accompanying post, the dead are compared to ''a large shipment of fresh baked goods straight from the shwarma of Gaza''. A comment reads: ‘But I asked for a medium rare. Make a new one.’”
Over the past year, sad, sordid and grotesque images have been shared on social media, with the war in Gaza being live-streamed almost daily.
Middle East EEye'steam of video producers spent hundreds of hours this year scouring social media posts for genocidal comments and statements shared by Israeli politicians, soldiers, media personalities and ordinary people.
In January, some of those videos were submitted to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) by the South African legal team aiming to put Israel on trial for genocide.
A few weeks later, Maya-Nora Saaid let slip that she had been following the chatter inside some of the Telegram channels set up by Israelis that were celebrating the atrocities the Israeli army was committing in Gaza.
She put together a three-part series that unpacked for our audience just how pervasive the celebration of death and mockery of the people Israel was killing and maiming had become inside Israeli society.
In part one, she looked at comments and posts made by the general public; in part 2, she looked specifically at the content being shared by Israeli soldiers; and in part 3, she looked at how Israeli leaders were enabling and encouraging this mentality through their own actions and language.
