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Wael Al-Dahdouh, Palestinian journalist and the bureau chief of Al Jazeera


Wael Al-Dahdouh is a Palestinian journalist and the bureau chief of Al Jazeera in Gaza City. His career,
beginning in 1998, also spanned working for Al-Quds newspaper, acting as a correspondent for Voice of Palestine, in the Second Intifada, and as a correspondent for Al Arabiya, with his role with Al-Jazeera starting in 2004. His wife, seven-year old daughter, and 15-year old son were killed in an Israeli airstrike on the Nuseirat refugee camp during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, in addition to eight of his relatives. On 15 December 2023, while Al-Dahdouh and his colleague cameraman Samer Abu Daqa were covering the Haifa School airstrike in Khan Yunis, they were hit by an Israeli missile, injuring Dahdouh by a shrapnel while his colleague Abu Daqa bled to death as Israeli forces prevented ambulances from reaching him.

Early life and education

Wael Hamdan al-Dahdouh was born on April 30, 1970, in the Zaytoun neighborhood, the oldest neighborhood of Gaza City. He grew up in a well-off Gazan family, whose origins are from the Arabian Peninsula. He received his primary and secondary education in several schools in Gaza City. He spent seven years in Israeli prisons immediately after obtaining his high school diploma in 1988. He again obtained a high school diploma in an Israeli prison. He received BA in journalism and media from the Islamic University of Gaza in 1998, after Israel prevented him from traveling to study abroad he received a master's degree in regional studies from Al-Quds University, Abu Dis, in 2007.


Career

Al-Dahdouh started work for the press in 1998. He worked for the Palestinian newspaper Al-Quds as a correspondent in Gaza, and wrote for other Palestinian magazines, then worked as a correspondent for the radio Voice of Palestine, as well as for Sahar satellite channel at the beginning of the Second Intifada in 2000. He also worked as a correspondent for the Al Arabiya in 2003, then moved to work as a reporter and official in the Al-Jazeera office in the Gaza Strip since 2004.

Death of family

Al-Dahdouh was broadcasting live during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war when he learned his family had been killed in an Israeli airstrike in October 2023. His wife, his daughter Sham (aged 7), his son Mahmoud (aged 15), and a grandchild were killed along with 21 others. They were residing in Nuseirat refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. They had moved there following a warning from Israel to evacuate from the north of Gaza. His other son, Yehia, was seriously wounded, and Al-Jazeera reported that at least eight of his other relatives were also killed in the air raid. In video footage uploaded by Gaza photojournalist Motaz Azaiza, Al-Dahdouh is seen holding his deceased grandson while three relatives mourn.

Injury and death of colleague

On 15 December 2023, while Al-Dahdouh and his colleague cameraman Samer Abu Daqa were covering the Haifa School airstrike in Khan Yunis, they were hit by an Israeli missile. Abu Daqa bled to death for over 5 hours, as Israeli forces prevented ambulances from reaching him, while Dahdouh was later treated for shrapnel injuries.

Awards and honors

Peace Through Media Award (2013) by the International Media Awards in London. 

Courtesy : Wikipedia

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