In a devastating incident, Hamza al-Dahdouh, the eldest son of Al Jazeera’s Gaza bureau chief, lost his life in an Israeli strike in southern Gaza. Hamza, a journalist and cameraman for Al Jazeera, was traveling with other journalists on a road between Khan Younis and Rafah when a drone strike targeted their vehicle.
Freelance journalist Mustafa Thuraya was also among those killed in the attack. The strike occurred while the group was en route to the Moraj area northeast of Rafah, a region designated as a “humanitarian zone” by the Israeli army, despite reportedly experiencing recent bombings.
The tragedy compounds the al-Dahdouh family’s loss, as four other family members were killed in October. Wael al-Dahdouh, the bureau chief, lost his wife Amna, grandchild Adam, 15-year-old son Mahmoud, and seven-year-old daughter Sham in a previous Israeli strike.
Hamza al-Dahdouh had intended to report on the situation and aftermath of recent bombings in the Moraj area. Live footage from Al Jazeera captured the aftermath of the strike on their vehicle and showed Wael al-Dahdouh in tears, mourning his son’s death.
Wael al-Dahdouh himself was wounded, and his cameraman Samer Abu Daqqa was killed in a separate strike while filming last month. Despite these challenges, al-Dahdouh continued reporting on the conflict in Gaza.
With one million followers on Instagram, Hamza al-Dahdouh’s final post before his tragic death expressed admiration for his father’s resilience in the face of adversity.
Al Jazeera condemned the killing and accused Israel of violating the principles of freedom of the press. The media network highlighted the “targeting” of Palestinian journalists in Gaza, reflecting the broader concern for press freedom in conflict zones.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Hamza al-Dahdouh’s death an “unimaginable tragedy” and expressed concern over the loss of innocent lives in the ongoing conflict. The toll on journalists in the region has been significant, with more than 75 journalists killed since the war in Gaza began.
As the world mourns the loss of Hamza al-Dahdouh and reflects on the impact on journalism in conflict zones, questions surrounding the safety of journalists and the broader consequences of the conflict persist. The BBC has reached out to the IDF for comment, and the international community continues to closely watch the developments in Gaza.