Wael Dahdouh hugs his daughter through the funeral of his son Hamza Wael Dahdouh
Al Jazeera’s Gaza bureau chief Wael Dahdouh – who misplaced his spouse, two kids and 9 different members of the family in an Israeli strike in October – stated his final goodbyes to his eldest son at this time. Hamza, like his father, was a journalist and killed when the automobile he was in with one other journalist was struck in Rafah. The opposite journalist – Mustafa Thuria (a video stringer) – was additionally killed within the missile strike.
Their car was close to al-Mawasi – a “protected space” – when it was struck, Al Jazeera reported.
“Hamza was every little thing for me, the eldest boy, he was the soul of my soul,” Mr Dahdouh, dejected, told Al Jazeera whereas talking from the cemetry the place his son had been laid to relaxation.
“I hope that the blood of my son Hamza is the final blood to move of journalists in addition to individuals within the Gaza Strip,” he added.
Distressing visuals on social media confirmed Hamza’s inconsolable spouse and siblings speeding to the cemetry for one final look earlier than he was buried. Wael Dahdouh stood by his head, attempting to consolation the remainder of his household. One other video confirmed him kissing his son’s hand whereas combating again tears.
Hamza Dahdouh’s spouse of 1 12 months mourns over his physique.
Al Jazeera has condemned the killing and “focusing on” of Palestinian journalists in Gaza. “Al Jazeera Media Community strongly condemns the Israeli occupation forces’ focusing on of Palestinian journalists’ automobile,” the corporate stated in a press release, accusing Israel of “violating the ideas of freedom of the press”.
Mr Dahdouh turned the face of all journalists reporting from Floor Zero on Israel’s warfare on Gaza when he discovered that quite a lot of his members of the family had been killed in the identical bombing he was overlaying in October.
World watched as he rushed to the hospital the place the our bodies of his family members had been saved. Visuals confirmed him mourning over the our bodies of his spouse and kids at a hospital in Deir el-Balah within the southern Gaza Strip.
His household was staying in a short lived residence, once more a “protected space”, after evacuating Gaza Metropolis following Israel’s warning for residents to maneuver south as its forces intensified strikes focusing on Hamas.
At the least 113 individuals have been killed up to now 24 hours in Israeli bombardments, stated the well being ministry within the besieged territory run by Hamas.
The warfare began when Hamas on October 7 final 12 months launched an unprecedented assault on Israel which resulted in about 1,140 deaths, most of them civilians. The Hamas operatives additionally took round 250 hostages, 132 of whom are nonetheless in captivity, in accordance with Israel. At the least 24 are believed to have been killed.
In response, Israel is finishing up a relentless bombardment and floor invasion which have killed a minimum of 22,835 individuals, most of them ladies and kids, in accordance with the Gaza well being ministry.
In the meantime, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed once more at a cupboard assembly that “I’ve a transparent message for our enemies: What occurred on October 7 won’t occur once more.
