>>> NOW MORE ON THE WAR BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS.

U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN MET WITH ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU AS PART OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S EFFORTS TO EXTEND THE TENUOUS TRUCE IN GAZA.

ADDING TO FRAYED NERVES WAS A FATAL SHOOTING IN JERUSALEM TODAY.

TWO PALESTINIAN GUNMEN WHO HAMAS SAY WERE MEMBERS OF ITS MILITARY WING OPENED FIRE AT A BUS STOP, KILLING THREE PEOPLE.

POLICE SAY THE GUNMEN WERE KILLED BY SOLDIERS AND A CIVILIAN.

>>> LIVING CONDITIONS IN GAZA CONTINUE TO DETERIORATE AS THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION WARNS THAT MORE PEOPLE COULD DIE FROM DISEASE THAN BOMBINGS.

UMAIL SAYID, ENGLISH CORRESPONDENT IN GAZA AND MOTHER OF FOUR, HAS BEEN REPORTING AND EXPERIENCING PERSONALLY THESE CONDITIONS.

MICHELLE MARTIN SPOKE WITH HER TO DISCUSS WHAT IT'S LIKE WORKING AS A JOURNALIST WHILE NAVIGATING DAY-TO-DAY SURVIVAL.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SPEAKING WITH US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HOSTING ME ON YOUR SHOW.

>> YOU'VE BEEN REPORTING ON THE EVENTS SINCE OCTOBER 7th.

BACK IN OCTOBER, YOU'VE WRITTEN ABOUT THIS, YOUR FAMILY RECEIVED A DISTURBING PHONE CALL FROM A PRIVATE NUMBER THAT WARNED YOU TO EVACUATE YOUR HOME MEET.

WOULD YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT?

>> YES, THAT'S TRUE.

MY HUSBAND RECEIVED A CALL FROM A PRIVATE NUMBER.

HE WAS IDENTIFIED BY HIS FULL NAME.

AND HE WAS ASKED TO EVACUATE, TOLD HIM TO "TAKE YOUR FAMILY AND EVACUATE FROM YOUR HOME, OTHERWISE, YOUR LIFE IS IN DANGER."

WE LIVE IN A RESIDENTIAL BUILDING WHERE OTHER RESIDENTS ARE WITH US, OTHER NEIGHBORS.

NO ONE RECEIVED A CALL LIKE THAT.

USUALLY WHEN WE RECEIVE CALLS FROM THE ISRAELI ARMY, IT WAS WITH A NUMBER OR IT WAS IDENTIFIED.

BUT THIS CALL WAS DIFFERENT.

THIS CALL IDENTIFIED MY HUSBAND BY HIS FULL NAME, TELLING HIM TO TAKE HIS FAMILY AND EVACUATE, OTHERWISE OUR LIVES ARE IN DANGER.

>> HOW DID YOU INTERPRET THAT PHONE CALL?

DO YOU INTERPRET THAT PHONE CALL AS A THREAT?

>> WELL, IN THE SITUATION THAT WE ARE IN, OKAY, JUST A WEEK BEFORE THAT CALL, LESS THAN A WEEK BEFORE THAT CALL, MY COLLEAGUE, HIS ENTIRE FAMILY WAS KILLED IN A BOMBARDMENT.

AND THEY WERE IN A REFUGEE CAMP THAT'S SOUTH.

THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE ARE ASKED TO EVACUATE.

AND THE FACT THAT WE HAVE BEEN WITNESSING A LOT OF TURBULENCE IN GAZA IN THIS WAR, BEING TARGETED AND KILLED, OVER 60 JOURNALISTS HAVE BEEN ALREADY KILLED IN A MATTER OF 50 DAYS.

50 DAYS OF WAR.

WE GOT TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE AFRAID TO PUT ON OUR PRESS VESTS BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO BE LABELED AS JOURNALISTS, BECAUSE THAT MIGHT PUT NOT JUST MY LIFE IN DANGER BUT THE LIFE OF MY ENTIRE FAMILY AS WELL.

>> SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU BELIEVE THAT THE IDF IS TARGETING YOU AND OTHER JOURNALISTS.

WE KNOW THAT JOURNALISTS ARE NOT BEING SPARED, BUT HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT THE IDF IS TARGETING YOU?

BECAUSE SOME MIGHT HEAR WHAT YOU JUST SAID AND SAY THAT YOU GOT A PHONE CALL THAT IT WAS A LEGITIMATE WARNING TO SAY THAT YOUR AREA WAS BEING TARGETED, AND SO I GUESS WHAT I'M ASKING YOU IS HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE BEING TARGETED AS OPPOSED TO THIS WAS A LEGITIMATE WARNING TO SAY YOU NEED TO LEAVE FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY?

DO YOU SEE WHAT I'M ASKING?

>> I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND.

BUT WHAT ANSWERS THAT QUESTION OR THIS QUESTION IS FACTS AND FIGURES.

NUMBER OF JOURNALISTS THAT HAVE BEEN KILLED, MOST OF THEM IN THEIR HOMES, MOST OF THEM HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY TARGETED.

THE FAMILY BEING TARGETED IN THEIR HOME.

THE CALL THAT I GOT OR MY FAMILY GOT WAS TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM THE EVACUATION CALLS -- >> WAS THE TONE THREATENING?

>> THE TONE WAS DEFINITELY THREATENING.

WHEN YOU IDENTIFY SOMEONE WITH HIS ENTIRE NAME AND TELL HIM, I KNOW YOU, AND YOU CALL FROM A PRIVATE NUMBER THAT YOU USUALLY CALL OTHER CIVILIANS AND OTHER RESIDENTS WITH A NUMBER AND IT'S USUALLY A RECORDED MESSAGE.

SO TO GET THE CALL IN THAT WAY, IN THAT SAME WAY, THAT IS DEFINITELY A THREAT AND NOT A WARNING.

>> SO THE FAMILY DID EVACUATE.

WOULD YOU JUST DESCRIBE WHAT THAT WAS LIKE?

>> FIRST OF ALL, I WASN'T ABLE TO EVACUATE INSTANTLY WHEN I GOT THE CALL.

ONE OF THE PROBLEMS IS THAT THE BOMBARDMENTS WERE VERY CLOSE TO MY HOME ITSELF.

JUST MY AREA OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD.

THEY WERE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND YOU PROBABLY KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

THAT'S MY NEIGHBORHOOD.

SO ALL THE BOMBARDMENTS, ALL THE EXPLOSIONS, ALL THE AIR STRIKES WERE IN THAT SAME NEIGHBORHOOD.

IT WAS VERY RISKY FOR ME TO TAKE MY CHILDREN AND TO GO OUT.

SECOND OF ALL, I WAS ASKED TO TAKE MY CHILDREN AND GO TO THE SOUTH ON FOOT.

THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT I COULDN'T REALLY -- IT WASN'T EASY FOR ME TO DECIDE ON.

AND I FELT IT WAS VERY RISKY.

THIRD OF ALL, WE'VE SEEN CIVILIANS TAKE THAT RISK AND GO TO THE SOUTH ON FOOT AND GET TARGETED.

AND EVEN WHEN THEY WERE IN THEIR CARS, THEY WERE TARGETED.

INCLUDING UNITED NATIONS CARS.

HOW CAN I AS A MOTHER RISK MY KIDS TO THAT EXTENT?

WHERE I KNOW THAT I'M THROWING THEM UNDER FIRE?

NO.

I'M GOING TO STAY AT HOME.

AT LEAST IF I DIE, I'M GOING TO DIE AT HOME WITH MY KIDS.

RIGHT?

I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THEM TO THE STREETS AND LOSE THEM RIGHT THERE.

AND I WOULD NOT FIND SOMEONE TO EVEN CARRY OUR BODIES BACK.

I THOUGHT 100 TIMES BEFORE I TOOK THAT JOURNEY.

>> YOU DID EVENTUALLY GET OUT OF THERE.

YOU DID EVENTUALLY EVACUATE.

SO WHAT IS LIFE NOW?

YOU'RE STILL WORKING.

HOW ARE YOU MANAGING THAT?

BOTH CONTINUING TO REPORT AND ALSO TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR FAMILY?

>> LET ME GIVE YOU A PICTURE, OR LET ME PAINT A PICTURE OF HOUR OW DAY STARTS, FOR EXAMPLE.

WE WAKE UP IN THE MORNING, AND OUR STRUGGLE FOR FINDING WATER STARTS.

SO WE HAVE TO GET OUR CONTAINERS AND GO DOWNSTAIRS AND START LOOKING FOR WATER.

SO THAT'S USUALLY MY HUSBAND'S AND MY 11-YEAR-OLD SON, MOHAMMAD, HE GOES WITH HIS DAD, THEY TRY TO FILL A CONTAINER OR TWO SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO WASH UP.

AND THEN OUR SECOND STRUGGLE STARTS WITH BREAKFAST.

FINDING BREAD.

FOR A WHILE, BEFORE THE HUMANITARIAN AID STARTED ENTERING IN THE CEASE-FIRE, IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND BREAD, FLOUR.

THE QUANTITY IS ENTERING ARE VERY FEW COMPARED TO THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE.

AND THEN THE STRUGGLE FOR LUNCH -- IT'S LITERALLY SIX DAYS' RICE, PLAIN RICE, AND ONE DAY EITHER PASTA OR BREAD.

SO FOR ME AS A MOTHER, YOU KNOW -- I TELL MY KIDS, DON'T BE SAD, DON'T BE FRUSTRATED, WE'RE JUST LIKE MILLIONS OF OTHERS.

YOU GUYS ARE JUST LIKE THOUSANDS OF OTHER CHILDREN.

AT LEAST YOU GUYS GET TO EAT.

WE'RE SLEEPING TOGETHER IN ONE ROOM, THE SIX OF US.

AND WE HAVE TWO OTHER FAMILIES WITH US IN THE SAME APARTMENT WHERE WE LIVE.

EACH FAMILY WITH OUR SAME STRUGGLE.

IT'S REALLY THE NATION'S STRUGGLE.

IT'S NOT JUST FAMILY OR A GROUP OF PEOPLE.

AND SO ON.

AT LEAST IN THIS CEASE-FIRE, THEY GOT TO, YOU KNOW, BREATHE A LITTLE BIT WITHOUT BEING AFRAID OF HEARING THE CONSTANT BOMBARDMENT, THE CONSTANT AIR STRIKE, THE CONSTANT ROCKETS FALLING.

AND THE PROBLEM WITH GAZA IS THAT IT'S VERY SMALL, A TINY TERRITORY.

HOMES ARE VERY TIGHT.

A LOT OF PEOPLE EVERYWHERE.

AND THAT'S WHY YOU CAN'T SAY THAT THIS BOMBARDMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, IS HAPPENING SOMEWHERE IN THE EAST AND YOU'RE IN THE WEST, YOU CAN'T HEAR IT.

NO, YOU JUST HEAR IT AS IF IT'S NEXT DOOR.

>> ARE THE CHILDREN UPSET WHEN YOU GO TO WORK?

DO YOUR CHILDREN EVER ASK, WHY DO YOU HAVE TO GO?

DO THEY ASK THAT, AND WHAT DO YOU SAY?

>> TE TELL ME THAT EVERY DAY.

THEY TELL ME, "DON'T GO TO WORK, TAKE IT OFF, WHY DO YOU HAVE TO GO AND LEAVE US?"

BUT I TELL THEM THAT I HAVE -- THIS IS THE ONLY TIME I CAN DO STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE, I CAN MOVE FREELY IN AND AROUND THE SOUTHERN AREA BECAUSE OF THE CEASE-FIRE.

SO I HAVE TO USE THAT TIME WISELY.

AND BECAUSE, FOR EXAMPLE, WE DON'T HAVE ELECTRICITY.

THERE'S NO TELEVISION.

THERE'S NO INTERNET.

SO THEY CAN'T WATCH ME, FOR EXAMPLE.

WE'VE GOT VERY LITTLE ESSENTIALS WITH US WHEN WE EVACUATED TO THE SOUTH.

AND I KNEW THAT THEY WERE CARRYING THOSE BAGS, SO I COULDN'T PUT A LOT OF CLOTHES IN IT.

I DIDN'T WANT IT TO BE HEAVY BECAUSE I KNEW THEY WERE GOING TO WALK FOR AT LEAST SIX TO SEVEN KILOMETERS.

I ENDED UP JUST GETTING A LITTLE BIT OF SUMMER CLOTHES THAT ARE VERY LIGHT.

AND NOW SUDDENLY THE WEATHER GOT VERY COLD, IT'S GETTING COLDER DAY BY DAY, AND I CAN'T FIND CLOTHES FOR THEM.

THIS IS ANOTHER CHALLENGE AS A MOTHER.

I GO TO THE SHOPS, I GO TO THE MARKET EVERY DAY.

I TRY TO GET THEM ANYTHING TO KEEP THEM WARM.

BUT I CAN BARELY FIND -- THIS IS TOUGH.

THIS IS SOMETHING, FOR EXAMPLE -- THIS IS A DETAIL, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT OTHER PEOPLE WOULDN'T THINK ABOUT IT.

FOR ME AS A MOM, IT'S KILLING ME THAT I KNOW THAT MY 5-YEAR-OLD IS NOT WARM.

BECAUSE I CAN'T FIND HER CLOTHES.

I HAVE THE MONEY, BUT I CAN'T FIND THE PRODUCT, RIGHT?

OTHER PEOPLE, THEY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY NOR THE PRODUCT ALREADY BUT NOW WE'RE ALL THE SAME, RIGHT?

>> YOU'RE LIVING THE STORY YOU'RE REPORTING ON.

THIS IS YOUR LIFE.

>> EXACTLY.

I'M LIVING EVERY SINGLE DETAIL IN THE STORY OF OTHERS THAT I'M REPORTING ABOUT.

IT'S JUST THAT I DON'T GET TO REPORT ABOUT MY STORY OR -- I CONSIDER THAT MY STORY IS NOT IMPORTANT.

THE IMPORTANT THING THAT I DO IS REPORT ABOUT OTHERS.

BECAUSE THIS IS MY DUTY.

THIS IS MY TRADE IN LIFE.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, PEOPLE DON'T REALLY KNOW THAT I'M LIVING ALL THE SAME STRUGGLES, THE SAME CHALLENGES, THE SAME PAIN, THE SAME WORRY, THE SAME FEAR, THE SAME EVERYTHING.

HELPLESSNESS THAT EVERY SINGLE MOTHER AND FATHER AND CHILD IN GAZA IS LIVING.

OUR KIDS ARE LIVING THE SAME AS WELL.

>> WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE DANGER TO JOURNALISTS IN THE CURRENT MOMENT.

THE COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS, IT'S AN ORGANIZATION THAT KEEPS TRACK OF DANGERS TO JOURNALISTS ALL OVER THE WORLD SAYS THE WAR HAS LED TO THE DEADLIEST MONTH FOR JOURNALISTS SINCE THE ORGANIZATION BEGAN COLLECTING THIS INFORMATION MORE THAN 30 YEARS AGO.

ACCORDING TO THE COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS, 50 PALESTINIAN JOURNALISTS, 4 ISRAELI JOURNALISTS, THREE LEBANESE JOURNALISTS HAVE BEEN KILLED SINCE OCTOBER 7th.

ARE THERE ANY PRECAUTIONS THAT YOU CAN TAKE NOW?

I HEARD YOU SAY EARLIER THAT YOU'RE NOT EVEN SURE WHETHER TO WEAR YOUR PRESS VEST ANYMORE.

WHAT HAVE YOU DECIDED ABOUT THAT?

>> HONESTLY, I WEAR MY GEAR.

BECAUSE I HAVE TO WEAR IT WHEN I'M WORKING.

BECAUSE MY ORGANIZATION FORCE METH TO WEAR IT.

WHEN I'M WORKING.

AND BECAUSE LEGALLY, AT LEAST, SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME, I'M WEARING MY GEAR, MY PROTECTIVE GEAR THAT SHOWS THAT I'M A JOURNAL ITS, RIGHT?

BUT INSIDE ME, I KNOW THAT IT'S NOT PROBING ME.

IT MIGHT BE PUTTING MY LIFE IN DANGER.

ADDING TO THAT, MEDIA OFFICES SINCE THE WAR, 2021, BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS, ALL MEDIA OFFICES IN THE GAZA STRIP, INCLUDING AL JAZEERA AND AP, WERE DESTROYED.

WHEN I SAY ALL, I MEAN ALL.

ALL AGENCIES, ALL MEDIA OFFICES WERE COMPLETELY AND DELIBERATELY TARGETED AND DESTROYED.

AND THIS IS NOT JUST A COINCIDENCE.

WHEN EVERYTHING IS DESTROYED THAT HAS TO DO WITH JOURNALISM IN THAT DIRT, IT'S A COINCIDENCE IF IT'S ONE OR THREE, JUST BECAUSE THEY WERE IN THAT BUILDING, THIS BUILDING, WHATEVER REASON.

WHATEVER JUSTIFICATION TO COMPLETELY ELIMINATE, WIPE OUT, A CERTAIN -- I DON'T KNOW, LIKE THE JOURNALISM CATEGORY FROM THE GAZA STRIP.

I THINK THAT THIS IS TOTALLY ON PURPOSE AND DELIBERATE.

>> I DO HAVE TO SAY, AND YOU ARE AS A JOURNALIST -- YOU UNDERSTAND I DO HAVE TO SAY THAT THE IDF, THE ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCES, EXPLICITLY SAY AND HAVE SAID THAT THEY DO NOT TARGET AND ARE NOT TARGETING JOURNALISTS.

THAT IS THEIR PUBLIC STATEMENT ABOUT THIS.

>> I BELIEVE FACTS AND FIGURES.

I BELIEVE REALITY.

I BELIEVE WHAT I AM LIVING.

I BELIEVE WHAT I AM SEEING.

AND I BELIEVE -- IT'S NOT -- I CAN TELL YOU ANY -- I CAN GIVE YOU ANY STATEMENT, AND THE NUMBERS AND THE PICTURES AND THE REALITY SHOWS DIFFERENT TO MY STORY.

>> LET ME SAY FOREIGN JOURNALISTS HAVE NOT BEEN ALLOWED ACCESS INTO GAZA EXCEPT UNDER VERY LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES WHEN THEY HAVE BEEN EMBEDDED WITH THE IDF, AND IT'S A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE UNDER VERY RESTRICTED CIRCUMSTANCES.

AS A CONSEQUENCE, WE ARE RELYING ON YOU AND OUR COLLEAGUES WHO LIVE IN GAZA TO BRING US THIS INFORMATION.

YOU AND YOUR OTHER COLLEAGUES, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WATCHING YOUR REPORTS, HAS EXPLODED AROUND THE WORLD.

WHY DO YOU THINK SO MANY PEOPLE ARE NOW SO MUCH MORE INTERESTED IN YOUR WORK?

>> BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN SEE WITH THEIR OWN EYES THE GENOCIDE THAT ARE BEING ENCOUNTERED IN THE GAZA STRIP.

THEY SEE THE NUMBERS OF CHILDREN THAT ARE BEING KILLED.

THEY WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THAT.

THEY'RE MORE INTERESTED NOW ABOUT KNOWING ABOUT THE GAZA STRIP AND THE PEOPLE OF THE GAZA STRIP AND THE CONFLICT BETWEEN ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIANS.

I THINK THE WESTERN PEOPLE AND THE WESTERN SOCIETIES ARE OPENING THEIR EYES AND TURNING THEIR EYES TOWARDS PALESTINE, TOWARDS THE GAZA STRIP, AND TOWARDS WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE.

THEY BELIEVE ME, SO THEY FOLLOW ME.

I THINK THIS ALL HAS TO DO WITH CHANGING THE MIND OF THE WESTERN SOCIETIES, THE PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES, THE PEOPLE IN EUROPE.

HOW PEOPLE NOW -- THE RESIDENTS THEMSELVES, THE CIVILIANS, HOW THEY DEAL WITH THE PALESTINIAN NARRATIVE AND THE PALESTINIAN SIDE OF THE STORY.

>> DO YOU FEEL LIKE SOMETHING HAS FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGED WITH THIS CONFLICT?

IF IT'S CHANGED PEOPLE IN ANY FUNDAMENTAL WAY THAT YOU CAN SEE, THAT YOU CAN DETECT, THAT YOU HAVE OBSERVED?

>> THIS WAR HAS THE WORST TOLL, TRAUMA, PAIN, AND LOSS ON THE PEOPLE IN GAZA.

WITHIN OVER CONTEXTS, OTHER WARS, THEY WERE SHORTER.

THE CASUALTIES WERE NOT AS MANY AS THEY ARE NOW.

THE DESTRUCTION WASN'T AS DEVASTATING AS IT IS NOW.

AND WHAT WE ARE LIVING NOW, IT'S COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM THE SUFFERING THAT WE'VE EVER ENCOUNTERED BEFORE IN OUR LIFE.

AND DEFINITELY, IT HAS CHANGED PEOPLE A LOT.

BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE NOW THINKING, ARE WE GOING TO SURVIVE?

THIS IS THE FIRST QUESTION PEOPLE ASK EACH OTHER.

IT'S THE SAME THOUGHT THAT WE TELL OUR CHILDREN EVERY SINGLE NIGHT INSTEAD OF KISSING THEM GOOD NIGHT AND WISHING THEM SWEET DREAMS.

WE KISS THEM GOOD-BYE, MICHELLE.

>> HM.

>> WHEN YOU'RE A MOTHER AND TRY TO PICTURE THAT WITH ME, HOW PAINFUL IS IT?

EVEN IF I DON'T SAY IT TO THEM, INSIDE ME, AS A MOTHER, I KNOW THAT I'M HOLDING THEM TIGHT AND I'M KISSING THEM GOOD-BYE.

BECAUSE WE MIGHT NOT EVEN WAKE UP.

BECAUSE I MIGHT GO OUT TO WORK AND NOT RETURN BACK.

OR I MIGHT RETURN AND DO NOT FIND THEM AGAIN.

SO YES, DEFINITELY, IT HAS CHANGED THE PEOPLE.

IT HAS CHANGED ME.

IT HAS CHANGED EVERYONE.

THE TRAUMA THAT WE'RE LIVING WITH EVERY SINGLE THING THAT WE HAVE LOST, STARTING WITH PEOPLE, OUR MEMORIES, OUR LIVES, OUR HOMES.

YES, WE'RE GOING TO LIVE WITH THAT TRAUMA FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES.

>> THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING WITH US.

>> THANK YOU, MICHELLE, FOR HAVING ME.