NATIONAL PRESS CLUB HANDS AL JAZEERA’S WAEL DAHDOUH PRESS FREEDOM AWARD

The National Press Club has handed its top award for press freedom to Al Jazeera’s Wael Dahdouh.

The Washington-based organisation said in a statement that the John Aubuchon Press Freedom Award will be presented to the Gaza bureau chief at a gala on November 21.

The statement noted that Dahdouh continued to report from the enclave, which has now been under Israeli bombardment for more than a year, despite suffering “unspeakable personal tragedies” during his work.

Just weeks after the start of the war, Dahdouh was informed while live on air that an Israeli air attack on the Nuseirat refugee camp had killed his wife, his seven-year-old daughter and his 15-year-old son, along with other family members.

Another son, Hamza, who was also an Al Jazeera reporter, was killed by a drone attack in January.

Dahdouh was wounded by shrapnel in December as the Al Jazeera team covered drone attacks on a school sheltering displaced Palestinians. He was evacuated out of the besieged enclave to receive medical treatment.

His cameraman, Samer Abudaqa, bled out over several hours as Israeli attacks prevented ambulances from reaching him.

Dahdouh is still in Germany receiving treatment for his injuries, but remains Al Jazeera’s bureau chief.

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“Despite his physical and emotional wounds, Dahdouh remains resilient as he works to recover,” National Press Club President Emily Wilkins, who flew to Berlin to present him with his award in person as a sign of commitment to his case, said in a statement.

“His endurance, strength and perseverance are an inspiration for reporters around the world.

“The club continues to fight for Aubuchon honorees long after the gala ends. We will work until they are freed from prison or find justice in a court – no matter if it takes months, years or decades. We stand by our honorees and we will stand by Wael Dahdouh,” Wilkins said.

Latest confirmed figures by the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists show that at least 137 journalists and media workers have been killed since the start of the war on Gaza, with actual numbers believed to be much higher.

The overwhelming majority have been Palestinian journalists in Gaza, but several Lebanese journalists have also been killed in Israeli attacks. Two Israeli journalists were killed on October 7, 2023 in the Hamas-led attacks.