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December 20, 2023 – Palestine/Israel –
Veteran Al Jazeera cameraman Samer Abu Daqqa was killed and correspondent Wael Al‑Dahdouh was injured during their final reporting assignment in Khan Younis, Gaza—a mission now documented by Forbidden Stories and ARIJ as part of the Gaza Project.
Abu Daqqa, aged 45, and Al‑Dahdouh, both wearing marked press vests, accompanied Civil Defense rescue crews to the devastated Farhana girls’ school courtyard. Their goal: film the retrieval of an excavator stranded amid rubble. While packing up, they came under Israeli drone fire. Witnesses and first responders report Abu Daqqa was struck by at least two separate strikes, collapsing near the school walls.
Al‑Dahdouh survived; Abu Daqqa did not. Critically wounded, he lay trapped under rubble for over five hours as ambulance crews awaited military clearance. When rescue teams finally reached him, they found his body “torn to pieces” near his discarded press vest. His camera, along with all footage, was destroyed. He is survived by four children living in Belgium.
Abu Daqqa’s death is one of nearly 100 documented journalist fatalities in Gaza since October 2023—a surge prompting global outcry. Al Jazeera and Reporters Without Borders referred the case to the ICC, alleging possible war crimes; Israeli authorities say the incident is under internal review.
Forensic analysis shows Israeli drone imagery could clearly distinguish press insignia, casting doubt on claims of accidental targeting. Al‑Dahdouh and colleagues emphasize that no military threat was present, and no justification existed for the drone strike.
In his final act of journalistic dedication, Abu Daqqa recorded “unprecedented images” from deeply devastated neighborhoods, highlighting the human cost of the conflict. He died doing what he lived for: documenting the truth under fire.
Samer Abu Daqqa’s story — a husband, father of four, Al Jazeera stalwart since 2004 — is now emblematic of the escalating risks faced by frontline journalists in Gaza. His legacy underscores a global demand: ensure accountability, protect journalists, and preserve the truth they risk their lives to expose.
Reference –
https://arij.net/investigations/gaza-project/en/samer-abu-daqqa-final-reporting/index.html?tztc=1
Samer Abu Daqqa’s final reporting trip, amid the ruins of Khan Younis | ARIJ
