'It's My Duty': Al Jazeera Journalist Who Lost Entire Family To Israeli Airstrike Returns To Reporting

Al Jazeera Gaza bureau chief Wael Dahdouh - who 24 hours ago mourned the death of his wife, son, daughter and nine other family members in an Israeli air strike -returned to the frontlines to continue reporting on Tel Aviv's war on Gaza.

Dahdouh's wife, daughter, grandson, and son were tragically lost in the assault on the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza. They had taken shelter there after being forced to flee their home in the northern part of the Strip due to the initial bombings, as reported by the network.

Resuming his role as a journalist, Dahdouh, clad in his press attire and perched atop a building, expressed, "I felt an obligation, despite the profound pain and the raw emotional wounds, to return before the camera and connect with you through social media as swiftly as I could."

In the backdrop, a thick cloud of black smoke envelops the sky, accompanied by the distant sounds of explosions. Gesturing toward the devastation behind him, he remarked, "The conflict rages on relentlessly. Airstrikes and artillery barrages persist, and the situation continues to evolve."

"Despite the pain ... I felt it was my duty to get back in front of the camera."

Al Jazeera Journalist Wael Al Dahdouh explains why he continues to report from Gaza after his wife, son, daughter and other relatives were killed. pic.twitter.com/zHazgIS1nG

— AJ+ (@ajplus) October 26, 2023

The Dahdouh family members were among the 7,000 people killed in Gaza in retaliatory Israeli strikes after Hamas launched a surprise attack on October 7 where 1,400 people were killed and over 200 were taken hostage.

Tel Aviv's attacks on Gaza follows the October 7 cross-border attack by Hamas that claimed over 1,400 lives, including civilians and children. Israel has described the Hamas terrorists as "animals" and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised revenge.

Tel Aviv has allowed limited humanitarian convoys to access Gaza a densely besieged territory that houses more than two million residents. However, these convoys provide only a fraction of the essential supplies required.