Tragically, two Palestinian journalists lost their lives in Gaza on Sunday, reportedly due to an Israeli airstrike. Among the victims was Hamza Dahdouh, the son of veteran Al Jazeera journalist Wael al-Dahdouh. Another colleague, Mustafa Thuraya, also perished in the incident.
This marks the fifth family member of Wael al-Dahdouh to be killed in an airstrike, following the deaths of his wife, two other children, and a grandson in November. The incident underscores the severe impact of conflict on innocent lives, including those of media professionals reporting from the affected areas.
Hamza, 27, was traveling on assignment for AL Jazeera in Northern Rafah in the Gaza Strip when his car was hit by an airstrike. The news outlet noted that the strike also seriously injured journalist Hazem Rajab.
At least 70 Palestinian reporters, as well as four Israeli and three Lebanese reporters, have been killed since the beginning of the war on Oct. 7, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. In October, Hamas attacked Gaza, leading to an escalation in fighting along Israel’s border with Lebanon, according to The Associated Press. two Palestinian journalists lost
Al Jazeera condemned the killing, accusing Israel of “targeting” journalists, including Wael Al-Dahdoh and his family. It added that Wael AlDahdoh and his colleague, Samer Abu Daqqa, were “targeted” in December when Abu Daqqa was killed by the drone strike.
“The assassination of his son Hamza in January 2024 confirms without a doubt the Israeli forces’ determination continue these brutal attacks against journalists and their families, aiming to discourage them from performing their mission, violating the principles of freedom of the press and undermines the right to life,” the media outlet wrote.
“Al Jazeera condemns, in the strongest terms, the ongoing crimes committed by Israeli occupation forces against journalists and media professionals in Gaza.”
The outlet also vowed to take “all legal measures to prosecute the perpetrators of these crimes.”