https://arab.news/cdfqz
- Wael Al-Dahdouh departed for Doha from Al-Arish Airport
- In response to the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate’s appeal, authorities in Cairo allowed Al-Dahdouh to travel
DOHA: Al Jazeera’s Gaza bureau chief Wael Al-Dahdouh arrived in Qatar for medical treatment on Wednesday after being evacuated from Egypt.
Al-Dahdouh, who was injured in an Israeli strike while reporting in Gaza, departed for Doha from Al-Arish Airport after he was granted permission to enter Egypt through Rafah in response to a special request from the Journalists’ Syndicate in Cairo.
The Palestinian journalist was wounded in an Israeli drone strike in December that killed his colleague cameraperson Samer Abudaqa while they were reporting in southern Gaza.
The Egyptian Journalists Syndicate confirmed in a statement that they communicated with Al-Dahdouh once he arrived in Egypt through the Rafah crossing. It also thanked Egyptian authorities for facilitating the journalist’s entry into Egypt for medical purposes.
Al-Dahdouh who recently received the syndicate’s 2024 Freedom of the Press award, likewise thanked Egyptian authorities and journalists for their help, highlighting their support for the Palestinian cause.
He also thanked his colleagues at Al Jazeera and announced plans to seek treatment abroad.
Al-Dahdouh, a seasoned journalist who has covered Gaza for over 20 years, has continued reporting despite several members of his family having been killed in the conflict with Israel.
During a live broadcast in October, Al-Dahdouh learned that four family members, including his wife Amna, grandchild Adam, 15-year-old son Mahmoud, and 7-year-old daughter Shams, were killed in an Israeli strike at the Nuseirat refugee camp.
His son, Hamza, 27, also a journalist, was killed in an Israeli attack earlier this month alongside his colleague Mustafa Thuraya while returning from an assignment in Rafah.