Istanbul: Prominent Palestinian journalist Wael al-Dahdouh has demanded justice for more than 250 reporters killed by the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip during Tel Aviv's genocidal war on the enclave. 'What happened in this war was unprecedented, in its form, substance, and scale,' Dahdouh, bureau chief of the Qatar-based Al Jazeera television in Gaza, told Anadolu on the sidelines of the TRT World Forum 2025 in Istanbul.
According to Anadolu Agency, Dahdouh expressed deep concern over the global silence and inaction toward Israeli war crimes and crimes against humanity, warning that this would only encourage Tel Aviv to commit more. He highlighted that Israel has consistently escaped accountability and punishment for decades, not just in this recent conflict.
Dahdouh, who personally suffered injuries and the loss of his family members in Israeli attacks, emphasized that Israel's impunity violates fundamental human rights, including the right to life, freedom of speech, and the right to information. He lamented the 'great failure and moral collapse' of international media institutions during the Israeli genocidal war in Gaza, noting their biased coverage without verification.
Despite this, Dahdouh praised the rise of citizen journalism in Gaza, which emerged powerfully during the conflict. He noted that ordinary citizens played a crucial role through social media, bringing countless images, facts, and human stories to the world, challenging the Israeli narrative.
Dahdouh urged global media outlets to expose Israel's false narrative and not forget the Palestinian journalists killed by Israel in Gaza, demanding accountability for their deaths. He expressed hope that the stories and aspirations of the martyred journalists would remain alive in people's hearts.
Since October 2023, the conflict has resulted in nearly 69,000 deaths and over 170,600 injuries, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The Gaza Government Media Office reported that 256 Palestinian journalists were among those killed, many of whom were working under harsh conditions to document Israeli actions in the enclave.
The Israeli military assault ceased under a ceasefire deal effective from Oct. 10, as part of US President Donald Trump's 20-point Gaza plan, which includes the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, and envisages the rebuilding of Gaza with a new governing mechanism without Hamas.