Palestinian Journalist Wael al-Dahdouh assures Israel’s crimes will never halt ‘our sacred duty’

Without the luxury of sadness, the man gathers his pain and goes on, “Firm as a mountain, rooted like the history of his country, as proud as its stones, and as inspiring as the dream of liberation,” continuing to convey the truth to the world.

This is how Journalist Wael al-Dahdouh became an iconic symbol for the Palestinian press crews and its heroes who work each day with death at their sight.

The occupation killed his eldest son and closest friend, Hamza, in a deliberate attack, but Dahdouh is known for his resilience, returning to his journalist duties in order to pass the truth to the rest of the world.

The Egyptian Journalists Syndicate awarded him its award for freedom of the press, honoring his exceptional steadfastness and continuation of his professional duty although death is always closes at hand.

Speaking to Al-Masry Al-Youm, Dahdouh stressed that the heavy price he paid with the deaths of 13 members of his family will not deter him from his duty towards Gaza.

He pledged that he will continue to carry this noble humanitarian message as long as his veins pulsate and life flows through him.

“We will proceed on this path that we have chosen. We will continue, God willing, no matter what it costs us in terms of heavy costs.”

He addressed his relationship with his son Hamza, and assured that he would seek to prosecute his killers.

“There will be a complaint before the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court, and we have begun to take the necessary legal path with the knowledge of Al-Jazeera Network’s legal advisors, similar to what happened in the file of (the late) colleague Sherine Abu Aqla.”

Dahdouh expressed his gratitude for the solidarity he was shown, appreciating that he was awarded the Press Freedom Award by the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate: “These are kind gestures that help us to continue striving, provide us with patience, and push us to continue and endure what we are suffering and the pain we are taking.”

Regarding sanctifying the truth, Dahdouh stressed that he will not stop handing the baton to his circles, starting with his children or relatives in the family, passing through colleagues in the field, all the way to the children of Gaza, so that this humanitarian duty continues without interruption for as long as they serve the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian media.

“The voice will not be cut off,” he assured.

The Israeli occupation forces bombed a car carrying a press team, which led to the death of Hamza al-Dahdouh, the son of the veteran Al Jazeera correspondent, and his colleague Mustafa Thuraya in Khan Yunis.

Clips documenting scenes of the bodies of the two journalists being extracted from their charred car was shared across social media, alongside Dahdouh’s farewell to his son.

He reappeared on duty two hours later, as he did weeks ago after losing 12 members from his family in an Israeli bombing of a house to which they were displaced in the middle of the Gaza Strip in the Nuseirat camp, on October 26.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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