Wael al-Dahdouh: Gaza Loss, Survival & Solidarity
Recovering from personal tragedy, Al Jazeera’s Wael al-Dahdouh now champions the cause of beleaguered Gaza journalists, a story of resilience and determination. he calls for solidarity,highlighting the immense sacrifices made by the press. Since the conflict’s commencement, at least 225 Palestinian journalists have tragically lost their lives.Dahdouh believes that the Israeli military deliberately targets media workers. Amidst the chaos, citizen journalists emerge, utilizing social media to document events. With unwavering resolve, they persist. More than 140 media groups demand unrestricted access to Gaza for their colleagues, stressing the crucial value of press freedom.News Directory 3 recognizes the urgent need for international support and protection. See how the massacres have touched the lives of gaza journalists. Discover what’s next …
Al Jazeera’s Wael al-Dahdouh: Gaza Journalists Pay High Price
Updated June 15, 2025
Al Jazeera journalist Wael al-Dahdouh, recovering from an arm injury and the loss of family members, is now focused on advocating for his fellow Gaza journalists. speaking to international audiences, including at the Amnesty Media Awards, he emphasizes the critical need for solidarity. He received the award for outstanding contribution to human rights journalism.
Since the start of the israeli offensive, at least 225 Palestinian journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate. Many experienced reporters, like Dahdouh, who covered every war in Gaza as 2005, have been forced to leave due to the extreme danger.
Younger, less experienced journalists are stepping in, frequently enough reporting from tents under constant threat and while facing hunger. Dahdouh notes that this new generation combines conventional journalism with citizen journalism, using social media to report from areas inaccessible to traditional media due to the risks.
Dahdouh is convinced that the Israeli military targets journalists and that his own family was targeted as of his work. Despite this,he believes Gaza journalists will continue reporting because the circumstances demand it. the massacres they face, their stresses and their problems are all reasons to continue reporting.
“Honestly, I took my strength from God,” Dahdouh said. ”That’s how I was able to bear the pain of what I saw with my eyes and what I experienced in my heart, to overcome it, to hide the pain to return to work as if nothing had happened.”
He added, “People do not have options. Even when you want to get rid of these people, where do you go? To a hospital, to a camp, to a street, to a house, or whatever is left of houses? There is no safe place. Your back is against the wall so all you can do is continue. The cost [of being a journalist] is high and everyone pays the price, but you must continue.”
More then 140 media rights groups and news organizations,including the Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters without Borders,have called on Israel to allow foreign journalists into Gaza,denouncing the attacks,displacement,and threats against Palestinian journalists as a direct assault on press freedom.
Dahdouh urges journalist colleagues in safer regions to support those in Gaza by speaking out, raising awareness about the killings of journalists, and pressuring Israel to protect the media.
“I used to wish that Hamza’s blood would be the last of the blood of journalists and civilians, but after these long months, there is a lot of blood flowing from the journalists and the civilians,” Dahdouh said.
“I want to see the journalists’ colleagues from all over the world using their conscience, morals and international law to do what they can for their colleagues and brothers in the Gaza Strip. At least then we can feel that we were not abandoned and the world did not silence our murder.”
What’s next
The call for international support and access for foreign journalists into Gaza continues as the conflict persists, with media organizations and rights groups working to ensure the safety and protection of journalists in the region.