Eight local television networks overcame their political differences on Monday evening and aired a unified newscast in solidarity with war-battered Gaza, where at least 570 people were killed in 14 days of Israeli aggression.

"Gaza...you are not alone” was the title of the unified newscast, which got underway at 8:10 pm on all local channels. It kicked off with a tribute by renowned Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish to his homeland. His voice glorified Palestine through his famed poem “Ala Hathihi al-Ard Ma Yastaheq al-Hayat” (On this Land, There's What is Worth Living For).

Afterwards, eight reports were broadcast, each prepared by one TV channel and shedding the light on different aspects of the Palestinian people's suffering.

The first report, prepared by Future TV journalists, showed how the people of Gaza were fighting for their lives during Ramadan, and hence were prevented from observing the holy month normally.

OTV then aired a report underscoring the pain Palestinian mothers have been suffering from during many years of Israeli occupation, as many of them have lost several children in the current and in past aggressions.

The third report was dedicated to the children of Gaza. MTV's journalist Mona Saliba highlighted how Palestinian kids have already lived through several rounds of violence and aggression and were hence forced to grow up too soon.

Israeli assaults on Lebanon were the focus of LBCI television's report. The channel's Layal Haddad visited the southern town of Marwahin that was the scene of an Israeli massacre in 2006. Haddad talked with four children who survived the 2006 war, and ended its report with footage of the four Palestinian kids who were bombarded to death last week while playing on a beach in Gaza.

Al-Jadeed television, meanwhile, introduced viewers to foreign militants who joined the ranks of the Palestinian resistance in its struggle against Israel.

The Hizbullah-affiliated al-Manar television traced the development of weapons used by Palestinian resistance from “rocks to rockets.”

The seventh report, prepared by the state-run Tele Liban, went over the history of the Palestinian resistance's fighting against Israel, noting that the resistance that “started with stones was militarized after the hearts of Arabs tuned into rocks.”

The last report, prepared by the NBN television team, portrayed how Palestinian refugees spread all over Lebanese camps are still living the pain and the suffering of their nationals in the occupied territories.

Just like the beginning, the unified newscast also ended with Darwish's voice chanting “Ayyouha al-Marroun bayn al-Kalimat al-Abira” (Passers between the Passing Words).

The unified newscast initiative was launched last week by As Safir newspaper's Editor in Chief Talal Salman in coordination with prominent Lebanese and Palestinian figures, and the step was hailed and endorsed by Information Minister Ramzi Jreij.

At least 570 people were killed in 14 days of Israeli assaults on the Gaza Strips, many of whom were children. Sunday was the deadliest day when at least 140 Palestinians were killed.

And since the Israeli operation began on July 8, huge numbers of Gazans have fled their homes, with more than 85,000 people taking shelter in 67 schools run by UNRWA, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, a spokesman said.

S.D.B.

Y.R.