As a ceasefire in Gaza took hold in January, Anas Al-Sharif began removing his protective gear live on television, piece by piece, while a jubilant crowd cheered, hoping the day marked the end of the suffering of 2 million Palestinians in the enclave.

The big picture: Israel's military strikes and blocking of aid from Gaza have killed over 60,000 Palestinians, with press advocates and experts calling it the deadliest conflict for journalists in recent history.