Watan-Al Jazeera channel aired poignant footage capturing the moment when its colleague, reporter Wael Al-Dahdouh, bid farewell to his son Hamza, who was martyred in an Israeli airstrike targeting journalists in western Khan Yunis.
Wael Al-Dahdouh was seen crying passionately over the loss of his son, then proceeded to kiss his hand, while those around him tried to console him in the face of the tragic event.
Al Jazeera correspondent Hisham Zaqout appeared standing beside Wael Al-Dahdouh, seeking to provide support during this difficult time.
A somber atmosphere enveloped the European Gaza Hospital where Hamza, the son of Wael Al-Dahdouh, passed away.
📷فيديو| الصحفي #وائل_الدحدوح يودع نجله البكر #حمزة_الدحدوح الذي ارتقى بقصف الاحتلال بمركبة تقل صحفيين شمال شرق #رفح جنوب قطاع #غزة . pic.twitter.com/qBzbnSfxK9
— وطن. يغرد خارج السرب (@watanserb_news) January 7, 2024
Hamza Wael Al-Dahdouh martyred
Hamza Wael Al-Dahdouh, a journalist for Al Jazeera and the son of the channel’s Gaza bureau chief Wael Al-Dahdouh, was martyred in an Israeli airstrike targeting a vehicle west of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip.
Al Jazeera reported that Wael Al-Dahdouh’s son was martyred along with another journalist, Mustafa Thraya, in an Israeli drone strike on the vehicle.
Footage has circulated, documenting the moment of the martyrdom of Hamza Wael Al-Dahdouh in the Israeli airstrike.
أجواء من الحزن تخيم على مستشفى #غزة الأوروبي في وداع الزميلين حمزة وائل الدحدوح ومصطفى ثريا بعد قصف إسرائيلي استهدف السيارة التي كانا يستقلانها#حرب_غزة #الأخبار pic.twitter.com/am70XEQVCJ
— قناة الجزيرة (@AJArabic) January 7, 2024
109 Journalists Martyred in Gaza
In turn, the Government Media Office announced an increase in the number of journalist martyrs to 109 since the start of the genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, following the deaths of the martyred journalists Hamza Wael Al-Dahdouh and the martyr Mustafa Thraya.
استشهاد الصحفيين مصطفى ثريا وحمزة نجل الزميل وائل الدحدوح في قصف إسرائيلي استهدف صحفيين غرب خان يونس#حرب_غزة #الأخبار pic.twitter.com/8jRtYVaxfD
— قناة الجزيرة (@AJArabic) January 7, 2024
The office stated in a press release: ‘We strongly condemn this heinous crime… These ongoing crimes committed by the Israeli occupation army against journalists aim to intimidate and scare them, and are a failed attempt to obscure the truth and prevent them from media coverage.’
It is worth noting that Hamza Al-Dahdouh worked alongside his father at Al Jazeera’s office in Gaza.
تغطية صحفية: فيديو سابق للصحفي الشهيد حمزة وائل الدحدوح أثناء دفنه لابنه الذي استشهد باستهداف الاحتلال لمنزل عائلته قبل أسابيع pic.twitter.com/qG81REfp3n
— القسطل الإخباري (@AlQastalps) January 7, 2024
Martyrdom of several members of Wael Al-Dahdouh’s family
Wael Al-Dahdouh had lost his wife, son, daughter, and grandson during the war on Gaza.
Injury of Wael Al-Dahdouh
Wael Al-Dahdouh himself had been injured by the occupation’s gunfire a few weeks ago, and his colleague, the photographer Samer Abu Daka, was martyred.
⚠️- مشاهد قاسية..
لحظة استشهاد الصحفي #حمزة_الدحدوح، نجل الصحفي وائل الدحدوح، في قصف إسرائيلي استهدف سيارة صحفيين في #رفح pic.twitter.com/xBef200fUC— عربي بوست (@arabic_post) January 7, 2024