An award-winning filmmaker has said the freedom enjoyed by the Isle of Man cannot be considered complete while Gaza remains under Israeli occupation.

Renowned Palestinian journalist and documentarian Yousef Alhelou made the comments during a visit to the island, where he hosted a special screening of his latest film, The Phoenix of Gaza.

Originally from Gaza City, Mr Alhelou studied journalism at the Reuters Institute at Oxford University. After spending a decade abroad, he returned to Gaza to reconnect with his roots and document the daily lives of its people. His latest documentary is the result of that journey.

‘I came for one purpose – to screen my film, to talk to people, to raise awareness and to re-energise people’s will and efforts to speak out about injustice in Palestine and show solidarity with fellow human beings,’ he said. ‘I always wanted to visit the Isle of Man, and now, through Gaza, I tour the world.’

Although his most recent visit to Gaza was in 2023, Mr Alhelou remains closely connected to the situation in the region. He said he has lost his sister and seven nieces and nephews in the conflict, adding that their bodies have not been recovered from the rubble.

He described the current conditions in Gaza as ‘shocking’ and compared the situation to an act of ‘extermination’.

‘They’re [the Israeli government] killing everybody. People are starving – my family can’t find a proper meal. They’re telling me they eat expired food tins, grind animal feed to make flour and bake, and some have resorted to eating tree leaves, turtles, and horses. There’s no food in Gaza,’ he said.

During his visit, Mr Alhelou spoke about the natural beauty of Palestine and its long-standing occupation, contextualising the ongoing conflict.

‘Gaza is half the size of the Isle of Man, but has 2.5 million people with no access to the outside world. We don’t have an airport or seaport. Israel controls Gaza from the air, the sea, and the ground. Because we can’t travel to the West Bank, we’re confined to what is essentially a large prison,’ he said.

‘The population is growing, and two-thirds of Gaza’s people are descendants of refugees. Israel refuses to lift the siege or relinquish control. People are desperate – that’s why there is so much suffering.’

Mr Alhelou also argued that the term ‘antisemitism’ is often misused to suppress support for Palestine, claiming it is employed as a political tool to deter criticism of the Israeli government.

‘This term is not applied to us Palestinians, because we are Semitic – we can’t be “anti” ourselves. It’s used against non-Arabs, non-Palestinians, to scare the West, because [the Israeli government] is not happy to see so much global support for our cause,’ he said.

Watch the full video interview with Mr Alhelou above.

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