Throughout history, some individuals step forward not because they seek the spotlight, but because circumstances place them there. On October 7, Chen G. Schimmel, a 26-year-old British Israeli photojournalist, became one of those figures. She simply lifted her camera and moved toward the destruction while her country was still in shock.
Her book, “October 7th: Bearing Witness”, has quickly become a crucial visual record of the war. It is not meant to comfort. Its purpose is to document, clarify, and ensure that the brutality of that day and the subsequent months can never be denied, softened, or forgotten.
Schimmel reached the devastated southern communities within days of the massacre. The scenes she captured there – burned homes, bullet-riddled walls, children’s bedrooms with toys buried under ash – became central to her book: working alongside ZAKA volunteers, she documented with one hand while helping clean blood and debris with the other, a reality that allowed no detachment or professional distance.
Since then, Schimmel has photographed in Gaza, on the northern border, with hostage families, evacuees, soldiers, Nova survivors, and ZAKA teams. Her images have become part of the collective memory: soldiers resting in ruined buildings, families beside destroyed homes, survivors returning to fields where they once danced, and the stern, exhausted faces of ZAKA workers who have seen more than most.
What makes her work distinct is moral clarity paired with an artist’s eye. She does not exaggerate or soften her images. Yet, her photographs are beautifully composed, demanding truth while respecting the gravity of what they depict.
“October 7th: Bearing Witness” is an essential historical record. It captures the overwhelming tragedy, loss, and darkness of October 7, while also reflecting the resilience, bravery, and acts of ordinary people undertaking extraordinary work.
Schimmel’s lens confronts devastation head-on. But the book isn’t only about photos. It includes personal testimonies, letters, and reflections from survivors, families, soldiers, and volunteers affected by that day. Their voices speak of grief, but also dignity and strength, highlighting the importance of maintaining humanity in circumstances designed to strip it away.
“October 7th: Bearing Witness” is already in its second printing. It has been purchased by those directly affected and by readers worldwide seeking to understand the human and moral dimensions of the events. In a media landscape flooded with images, Schimmel’s work stands out for its coherence and seriousness. It tells one story – its beginning, middle, and aftermath – without political bias or interpretation.
For both international audiences trying to understand what happened and Israelis processing it, the book provides evidence and a sense of immediacy. It doesn’t aim to shape the story but simply records reality, which in the wake of atrocity is a form of responsibility.
Schimmel’s recognition has grown rapidly. She was awarded the 2024 Photojournalist of the Year for an image captured during the peak of the war. All proceeds from the book go toward PTSD treatment and support for soldiers, reflecting the human reality she has chronicled, where visible and invisible wounds coexist.
Her work exposes a paradox. She is both part of her generation and outside it, driven by events that have forced young Israelis to mature too quickly. She is not just documenting history; she is living within it.
This month, Schimmel will showcase her work at a major conference in Washington, D.C. For her, speaking there isn’t just a personal milestone but an extension of the book’s mission: to ensure that the stories of October 7 are heard, understood, and carried forward. Documentation is the first step. The subsequent challenge is ensuring the world sees, remembers, and responds.
As Israel faces ongoing war, grief, and uncertainty, the role of witnesses is vital. Facts will be challenged. Narratives will change. But images, especially those captured honestly and without agenda, remain powerful. They anchor memory.
Schimmel’s book isn’t a political statement; it’s a historical record. In an era of disinformation, denial, and global distortion of October 7, "October 7th: Bearing Witness" is more than a photo collection. It becomes a public record, one that belongs in every home, library, and institution committed to remembrance and ensuring this never happens again.
Written in collaboration with Chen Schimmel