Journalist Wael Al Dahdouh mourns his son, who was killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza. AP
Journalist Wael Al Dahdouh mourns his son, who was killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza. AP
Journalist Wael Al Dahdouh mourns his son, who was killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza. AP
Journalist Wael Al Dahdouh mourns his son, who was killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza. AP

Al Jazeera journalist back on air 24 hours after family's death in Gaza


Mina Aldroubi
  • English
  • Arabic

Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza

A journalist who was live on air when he learnt that his wife, daughter and son had been killed in Gaza has returned to work 24 hours later.

Wael Al Dahdouh, Al Jazeera’s Gaza bureau chief, said it was his duty return “despite the pain and bleeding”, after an Israeli air raid killed his family on Wednesday.

“It is my duty to meet you through the camera lens and communication channels,” the journalist said in a video while standing on the roof of a building overlooking Gaza city.

“The need for communication, solidarity and asking for help is important to us,” he said.

Al Dahdouh’s family were killed after fleeing northern Gaza to the south following Israel’s warning to move to safety.

The well-known journalist lost his wife, a daughter, a grandson and his 15-year-old son who wanted to follow in his footsteps into journalism.

“Behind me is a battlefield where the trenches are on fire, with raids, artillery and shelling,” Al Dahdouh said, pointing to buildings surrounded by black clouds of smoke from bombings.

His family were among 7,000 Palestinians – including 3,000 children – killed in Israel air strikes since Hamas fighters carried out an attack on the country on October 7, the Health Ministry in Gaza has said.

More than 1,400 people in Israel, mostly civilians, were killed during the Hamas attack, according to the Israeli government. Hamas is holding at least 224 captives inside Gaza, including men, women, children and the elderly.

The death of Al Dahdouh's family members caused shock waves across the world. Videos and pictures of him identifying them were shared widely on social media.

Since the October 7, at least 24 journalists have been killed, including 20 Palestinians, three Israelis and a Lebanese journalist.

Tens of thousands of Israeli troops were massed alongside the Gaza border on Friday ahead of a widely expected ground offensive. The army said its forces had staged a brief ground incursion into central Gaza on Friday.

Pharaoh's curse

British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.

Some of Darwish's last words

"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008

His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Opening Rugby Championship fixtures:Games can be watched on OSN Sports
Saturday: Australia v New Zealand, Sydney, 1pm (UAE)
Sunday: South Africa v Argentina, Port Elizabeth, 11pm (UAE)

The low down

Producers: Uniglobe Entertainment & Vision Films

Director: Namrata Singh Gujral

Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Nargis Fakhri, Bo Derek, Candy Clark

Rating: 2/5

Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

Updated: October 27, 2023, 9:51 AM