Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Gaza, Wael al-Dahdouh, stated that the current war is unprecedented, emphasizing that the scale of destruction and the number of martyrs represent a first in the history of Israeli wars on the enclave, with journalists becoming part of the war bill for the first time.
Al-Dahdouh, who lost his wife, two sons, a daughter, and a grandchild during the conflict, affirmed that journalists were part of the steep price paid by civilians, noting that this was also the first time such a large number of journalists (112 martyrs) had fallen.
He pointed out that this was the first instance where journalists’ families were subjected to direct or indirect killings, describing the situation as an extremely terrifying and costly toll.
“The journalist pays a double price in this war because they are either the victim, or their family is the headline of the news, in addition to living the same life under bombardment, without any means for living or working, which the people endure,” he added.
This is the first time that journalists have experienced such a dire situation, as Al-Dahdouh points out. He noted that, like everyone else, journalists line up for basic necessities such as water, bread, or even some logistical supplies to continue their work.
Despite the hardships; this situation has given Palestinian journalists a distinctive character during this war, according to Al-Dahdouh.
Continued Resilience
Describing the state of Palestinians in Gaza after 100 days of conflict, Al-Dahdouh spoke of an ongoing state of resilience, stating that residents had no other choice but to deal with and coexist with the painful and costly reality of the war—affecting the living and not just the martyrs.
He also mentioned that the people of the enclave had never experienced such suffering as imposed by Israel in its latest war, with a total cutoff of water, food, electricity, and fuel.
He touched on an unprecedented displacement situation experienced by the inhabitants of the enclave, where two-thirds of the population became homeless, wandering the streets, hospitals, and schools without the minimum necessities to sustain life.
He concluded that the people have no choice but to persevere in the face of the occupation’s fire, which attempts to uproot them from their land.
