Four members of Al Jazeera journalist Wael Al Dahdouh’s family, including his wife, son, and daughter, were killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza, as reported by the network on Wednesday. Wael Al Dahdouh, a renowned journalist known for covering conflicts in the region, was delivering live updates on the ongoing war in Gaza when he received the news.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Dahdouh said that the anguish that has gripped him and many others in the war-torn region.
“A big tragedy is (being) perpetrated against women and children… no less than a calamity.” He further emphasized the widespread destruction, saying, “Large numbers of people’s houses (are being) bombarded,” Dahdoh said.
“However, this is a custom of the Israeli occupation. (But), at the end of the day, we are on this land. This is our destiny… this is our destiny and this is our choice and this is our patience… and we won’t deviate from this path.,” he said.
Wael Al Dahdouh, 53, was broadcasting from Gaza when he received the news of the attack that claimed the lives of his 15-year-old son, seven-year-old daughter, and two-year-old grandson. Some members of his family, including an infant granddaughter, managed to escape the air strike. However, several others from his family are still reported as missing.
As of now, the Israeli military has not commented on the specifics of this incident.
The Dahdouh family was among the millions of civilians displaced by Israel’s military operations in Gaza. They had evacuated Gaza City in response to Israeli warnings for residents to relocate southward due to Israeli air strikes.
The family was reportedly residing in the United Nations-recognized Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, an area that Israeli forces had designated as a “safe area.” However, ongoing Israeli military strikes in this region and other parts of southern Gaza have left evacuees in fear, feeling just as vulnerable as they were in their homes in the north.
Al Jazeera, a news network owned by the Qatari state and known for its critical stance on Israel’s actions in Gaza, condemned the indiscriminate targeting and killing of innocent civilians.
In a statement, the network said, “The indiscriminate assault by Israeli Occupation forces resulted in the tragic loss of his (Mr. Dahdouh’s) wife, son, and daughter, while the rest of his family is buried under rubble. We urge the international community to intervene and put an end to attacks on civilians.”
Israeli strikes in Gaza have claimed the lives of approximately 6,500 people, marking an increase of more than 700 casualties since Tuesday.
