On Wednesday night in Gaza, the family of an Al Jazeera correspondent tragically lost their lives in an Israeli airstrike, which, as reported by the health ministry, resulted in the deaths of at least 25 individuals.
According to the network, the strike specifically targeted the area where journalist Wael Al-Dahdouh’s family had sought refuge following an Israeli warning related to plans for a ground incursion into Gaza.
Al Jazeera’s official statement conveyed that the strike struck their home in the Nuseirat camp, located in the central part of Gaza. This was the place they had chosen for shelter after being displaced due to the initial wave of bombings in their neighborhood. This displacement followed Prime Minister Netanyahu’s call for all civilians to relocate south.
The news prompted a significant response from fellow journalists, with some pointing out that it comes in the wake of reports that the United States had urged the network to “tone down” its coverage of the situation in Gaza.
Rania Zabaneh, a producer at Al Jazeera English, lamented the absence of safe havens in Gaza, while pointing out a double standard: “Had this happened to an Israeli journalist, the ‘civilized’ world would now be shedding tears condemning the ‘barbaric’ Palestinians.”
Israeli strikes on Gaza killed our colleague @WaelDahdouh's wife, his son Mahmoud, daughter Sham, and other members of his family. They were taking “refuge” in Nuseirat, there’s no safe place in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/wPNObKVasT
— Rania Zabaneh (@RZabaneh) October 25, 2023
Journalist Zeba Warsi of PBS NewsHour found the situation “beyond words” and shared a video of another journalist based in Gaza breaking down upon learning of his family’s tragic fate.
It’s beyond words. Heartbreaking! Another journalist- Mohamed Farra, the moment he got the grim news of his own family being killed in Gaza.
Al Jazeera’s Gaza bureau chief Wael Dahdouh also learnt that his wife, son and daughter have been killed today. pic.twitter.com/sFBSDSzsa5
— Zeba Warsi (@Zebaism) October 25, 2023
American author Max Blumenthal criticized Israel’s actions, linking it to U.S. pressure on Qatar: “The tyrannical ethnosupremacist regime of Israel has killed the family of Al Jazeera’s Wael Dahdouh while he was on air covering its missile strikes.” He underscored the timing, just a day after Secretary of State Tony Blinken urged Qatar to suppress Al Jazeera’s Gaza coverage.
The tyrannical ethnosupremacist regime of Israel has killed the family of Al Jazeera’s Wael Dahdouh while he was on air covering its missile strikes
The targeted murder comes a day after Tony Blinken demanded Qatar suppress Al Jazeera’s coverage of Gazapic.twitter.com/GiQr99ojLX
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) October 25, 2023
Dena Takruri, a presenter at AJ+, empathized with Wael Al-Dahdouh, stating, “There is no safe place in Gaza. I’m so sorry, Wael; our hearts are shattered.”
My colleague Wael Dahdouh had moved his family to the south of Gaza, where Israel said it would be safer. His wife, son, daughter and grandson were killed while he was reporting for Al Jazeera.
There is no safe place in Gaza.
I'm so sorry Wael, our hearts are shattered.
— Dena Takruri (@Dena) October 25, 2023
Dima Khatib, managing director of AJ+ channels, shared a moving video of a news anchor on Al Jazeera overcome with emotion while reporting the devastating news of Dahdouh’s family.
Our colleague in Gaza, journalist Wael Al Dahdouh, just lost his wife and his two kids in an Israeli raid on the house they had found refuge in. In this video: the news anchor of Al Jazeera announcing the news and crying on air 😞
pic.twitter.com/uuF3H3xxZz— Dima Khatib (@Dima_Khatib) October 25, 2023
Dr. Omar Suleiman, founder and president of the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research in Texas, expressed deep sympathy: “I’m so sorry, Wael. The world failed you. Israel doesn’t just murder journalists. Apparently, even their wives and children are targets.
I’m so sorry Wael. The world failed you. Israel doesn’t just murder journalists. Apparently even their wives and children are targets. @AJArabic journalist @WaelDahdouh’s wife and children were murdered last night in Gaza. Another war crime.#Gaza_Genocide pic.twitter.com/nWN8Md52yC
— Dr. Omar Suleiman (@omarsuleiman504) October 25, 2023
