In the days after Oct. 7, 2023, journalist Fares Alghoul packed his suitcase, expecting to imminently leave his Hamilton home for Gaza to cover the war from the ground.

That's how he'd covered Israel-Hamas wars and conflicts in Gaza in the past, as a chief correspondent for The Associated Press.

But this time was different. He no longer lived in the Palestinian territory and foreign media were not allowed to enter, a rule that hasn't changed nearly two years later.

Alghoul, 42, has not given up on returning, but in the meantime, he's settled for reporting on the war as a freelancer from halfway around the world.

"I am dreaming of the day I can go back," he said. "I am emotionally attached to Gaza. I love Gaza."

Born in Gaza, Alghoul is a permanent resident of Canada. His work mean

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