Watan-Crowds of Palestinians mourned the body of Samer Abu Daqqa, a photographer for Al Jazeera, who was martyred in an Israeli airstrike that targeted him along with his colleague, the renowned correspondent Wael al-Dahdouh, who was injured in the attack. The strike occurred near the Farahana school, which shelters displaced individuals.
Footage broadcasted by Al Jazeera showed a large number of Palestinians participating in the funeral procession for Samer Abu Daqqa in the Khan Yunis governorate in the southern Gaza Strip.
مراسم تشييع جثمان الزميل #سامر_أبو_دقة مصور قناة #الجزيرة في #غزة الذي ارتقى شهيدا بعد استهدافه بمسيرة إسرائيلية في مدينة #خانيونس #حماس36 #وائل_الدحدوح #الاتحاد_الاهلي_المصري #الشجاعيه #BoycottPiersMorgan #فصل_طلاب_التطبيقيه #ابو_عبيده #باب_المندب #وايل_الدحدوح… pic.twitter.com/MPcsI8okch
— وطن. يغرد خارج السرب (@watanserb_news) December 16, 2023
Additionally, the bodies of three Civil Defense personnel, who were martyred while attempting to rescue Samer Abu Daqqa, were also laid to rest. Abu Daqqa was left bleeding for an extended period, and the occupying army prevented ambulance vehicles from reaching him.
تشييع جثامين #شهداء الدفاع المدني الذين ارتقوا خلال محاولتهم إنقاذ المصور الصحفي الشهيد #سامر_أبو_دقة#حماس36 #وائل_الدحدوح #الاتحاد_الاهلي_المصري #الشجاعيه #BoycottPiersMorgan #فصل_طلاب_التطبيقيه #ابو_عبيده #باب_المندب #وايل_الدحدوح #افتحي_المعبر_يامصر pic.twitter.com/hggFL9Qlb0
— وطن. يغرد خارج السرب (@watanserb_news) December 16, 2023
Martyrdom of Samer Abu Daqqa and Injury of Wael al-Dahdouh
Samer Abu Daqqa was martyred during his coverage of an Israeli airstrike on the Farahana school in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip.
The martyr remained on the ground bleeding for approximately 6 hours after being injured, surrounded in the vicinity of the Farahana school. An ambulance was unable to reach him due to injuries sustained from shrapnel caused by a missile launched by an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft.
Wael al-Dahdouh was also injured in the same attack while covering the Israeli airstrike on the school.
إصابة مراسل #قناة_الجزيرة الزميل الصحفي #وائل_الدحدوح برصاصة في يده وسط #خانيونس #جنين #الشجاعيه #صهاينه_العرب #لواء_جولاني #حماس #يحيى_السنوار #ابو_عبيده #غزة #سمعتوا_الخبر #طوفان_الاقصى pic.twitter.com/OgXrknSGRR
— وطن. يغرد خارج السرب (@watanserb_news) December 15, 2023
Al Jazeera condemns the assassination of its martyr
Al Jazeera Media Network strongly condemned the assassination by the Israeli occupation forces of Abu Daqqa, stating in a press release that the occupying forces obstructed the arrival of ambulance teams for Abu Daqqa, leaving him bleeding for more than 5 hours after being injured.
The statement placed full responsibility for this heinous crime on the Israeli occupation authorities, attributing to them the deliberate targeting of individuals working with Al Jazeera and their families.
In its statement, Al Jazeera expressed sincere condolences and profound sympathy to the Abu Daqqa family, urging the international community, journalist defense organizations, and the International Criminal Court to take action to hold the occupation accountable.
Abu Daqqa, a father of 3 sons and a daughter, born in 1978, was a resident of the town of Abasan al-Kabira near Khan Yunis. He joined Al Jazeera in June 2004, where he worked as a photographer and editing technician.