The tragedy of a war journalist who lost his entire family in Gaza

It was an emotional event and not everyone could watch it all when Qatar's Al Jazeera broadcast live last week the footage of veteran Gaza war journalist Wael al Dahdouh saying his final farewell to his wife, two children and a grandchild in the war.

wael al dahdouh tragedy of the family in the war in gaza picture 1 — Journalist Wael al Dahdouh (center) at the funeral of his wife and children. Photo: AJ

Earlier, on October 25, the closest relatives of journalist al Dahdouh died in an Israeli attack on a house in Nuseirat, central Gaza. Even at that time, he was broadcasting live to report the fierce fighting in this Palestinian land when he was informed that the house where his family was taking shelter had been attacked.

The camera then followed al Dahdouh to al Aqsa Hospital in Deir al Balah. The live television footage of him holding his daughter's shrouded body would have left any viewer choked up.

The camera then pans back to al Dahdouh as he, still wearing his press jacket, kneels beside the body of his son. His wife, Amani, along with their 15-year-old son Mahmoud, 7-year-old daughter Sham and grandson Adam, were all killed.

Al Dahdouh is a journalist who has been famous across the Arab world for decades for reporting on the suffering of Gaza's people during the war, but now he himself has become a story of tragedy.

wael al dahdouh tragedy of the family in the war in gaza picture 2 — Journalist Wael Al-Dahdouh won the International Media Peace Prize in London in 2013.

Journalist al Dahdouh has worked tirelessly and professionally to cover every war in Gaza in the past, from 2009, 2012, 2014, 2021 to the current catastrophic war. He even won the International Media Peace Prize in London in 2013.

Samy Zyara, a colleague and close friend of journalist al Dahdouh, said this was the most dangerous war he had ever experienced in Gaza. “The Israelis are trying to pressure journalists in Gaza to stop filming the massacres,” Zyara said.

Israel says it does not target civilians or journalists. But Zyara said: “At least 20 journalists have been killed in this war. This has never happened before.”

Even the journalist himself has had to move his family of seven children every few days since the fighting began. "Can you imagine? I moved them at least 10 times. I didn't know what to do. I had to tell them enough is enough, this will be the last place, but obviously it wasn't," Zyara said.

The Committee to Protect Journalists said its initial investigations show that 29 journalists have been killed in the conflict since October 7, including 24 Palestinians, four Israelis and one Lebanese. Thus, in addition to the immense suffering of the general population, there are also the tragedies of war journalists in particular in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hoang Hai (according to Sky News, Al Jazeera)

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