Watan-A moving video clip of Al Jazeera correspondent and its bureau chief in Gaza, Wael Al-Dahdouh, circulated, accompanied by a girl, just moments before his live appearance on air.
Wael Al-Dahdouh was preparing to go live with Al Jazeera when the girl approached him, embraced him, and requested to appear with him.
طفلة فلسطينية تحتضن مراسل #الجزيرة وائل الدحدوح وترغب في الظهور أمام الكاميرا#حرب_غزة pic.twitter.com/GHRnsoyAgc
— قناة الجزيرة (@AJArabic) December 27, 2023
The girl addressed Wael Al-Dahdouh, saying, “We want to go on air.” The girl responded, “You want to appear with me on air?” to which she replied, “Yes.”
Wael Al-Dahdouh said to the girl, “I hope it works out. Wait for me here until I finish.”
Al-Dahdouh ended with a sad look, seemingly reminded of his grandson who was martyred along with many members of his family in a previous Israeli airstrike.
Wael Al-Dahdouh represents an icon of resilience among Palestinians, especially after the tragedy that befell him, with the martyrdom of several members of his family, including his wife and two sons. He was then injured in an Israeli airstrike that targeted him along with his colleague, the photographer Samer Abu Daqqa, who bled for six hours before succumbing to his injuries.
Wael Al-Dahdouh, the voice of the oppressed and downtrodden
The French newspaper Le Monde published a report on Wael Al-Dahdouh, who represents one of the most expressive voices for Palestinians amidst the brutal war conducted by the occupying army on the Gaza Strip.
The newspaper stated in its report that Wael Al-Dahdouh has become the voice of the oppressed in the region and insists on fulfilling his journalistic duties despite the martyrdom of his wife, members of his family, and the harsh conditions he works in due to continuous Israeli airstrikes.
It added that Al-Dahdouh carries in his bruised body the tragic wounds experienced by the people of Gaza. He received news of the martyrdom of his wife and family members while on live air, left briefly, but returned immediately to carry out his media duties on Al Jazeera without fatigue or boredom.
The report highlighted that Al-Dahdouh miraculously survived an Israeli attack on him and his team just days ago, where he was injured but managed to escape a few meters to avoid certain death.
“Le Monde” quoted Mahmoud Al-Hams, a photographer for the French Press Agency and a friend of Wael Al-Dahdouh, saying that Al-Dahdouh is a journalist trusted by the residents of the Gaza Strip. He added, “As journalists, we share the same fate as civilian residents, and we live in great anxiety for our families, but we still strive to convey what is happening.”
He pointed out that continuous work is also a therapeutic outlet for the wounded and grieving Al-Dahdouh