The funeral has taken place for a cameraman from Al Jazeera who lost his life in a drone strike carried out by an Israeli military drone in Gaza.

Samer Abudaqa sustained injuries in the attack on a school in Khan Younis on Friday, alongside his colleague Wael Al-Dahdouh. Al Jazeera reported that Abudaqa bled to death due to the severity of the bombardment, which prevented paramedics from reaching him.

The news network, headquartered in Qatar, has submitted the case to the International Criminal Court (ICC). In a statement on the X platform (formerly Twitter), Al Jazeera characterized Abudaqa's death as an "assassination" and stated that its ICC filing would encompass repeated assaults on network crews operating in Palestinian territories.

Al Jazeera highlighted that Abudaqa was the 13th journalist from the network to lose their life while on duty since its establishment in 1996. Dahdouh, who survived the attack despite losing several family members in an earlier Israeli bombing, delivered a eulogy at the funeral.

He emphasized that journalists in Gaza would persist in their duty with professionalism and transparency, carrying a vital message for the world amid the ongoing conflict.

During the eulogy, Dahdouh remarked that despite the challenges of Israeli attacks, journalists in Gaza were committed to conveying a "human and noble message."

Al Jazeera reported that Dahdouh, sustaining shrapnel injuries to his upper arm, managed to seek treatment at Nasser Hospital.

Abudaqa, also injured by shrapnel, faced difficulties as paramedics struggled to reach him in the heavily bombarded area, leading to him bleeding to death for over five hours. Al Jazeera held Israel accountable for targeting its journalists and their families.

Abudaqa joined Al Jazeera in June 2004, working as a cameraman and editor.

He had three sons and a daughter and lived in the town of Abasan al-Kabira near Khan Younis.

Al Jazeera's managing editor, Mohamed Moawad, described Abudaqa as "a skilled professional but a compassionate soul who understood the power of visual storytelling".

"His unwavering commitment to truth and storytelling has left an indelible mark on our team," he said on X.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), at least 64 journalists - mostly Palestinians - have been killed since the Israel-Gaza conflict began on 7 October.

The Foreign Press Association (FPA), which represents several hundred journalists working for international news organizations, said it grieved the cameraman's death. saying he was the first FPA member to be killed in the Israel-Gaza conflict.

"We consider this a grave blow to the already limited freedom of the press in Gaza and call on the army for a prompt investigation and explanation."

May his soul rest in peace

Rip

So sad.
May his soul rest in peace.