Al Jazeera Cameraman in Coma After Israeli Sniper Attack, Denied Medical Evacuation

 

Fadi al-Wahidi, an Al Jazeera cameraman, remains in a coma after being shot in the neck by an Israeli sniper in the Gaza Strip earlier this month. He was reporting on the Israeli ground invasion of the Jabalia refugee camp when the incident occurred, despite wearing protective gear that clearly identified him as a member of the press.

Since being shot, al-Wahidi's condition has worsened. Doctors at the Public Aid Hospital in Gaza City have reported that they lack the necessary resources to treat his severe injuries, which include damage to his arteries and veins, as well as shattered bones. They have pleaded for his transfer to a facility that can provide the urgent medical care he needs, but Israeli authorities have not permitted his evacuation.

Appeals for al-Wahidi’s evacuation have been made by multiple media freedom organizations, including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), yet Israeli officials have not responded. Alongside al-Wahidi, fellow Al Jazeera cameraman Ali al-Attar, who was injured days earlier while covering the conditions of displaced Palestinians in Deir el-Balah, has also been denied treatment for shrapnel lodged in his skull and bleeding in the brain.

The CPJ has called on Israeli authorities to facilitate the safe transfer of both journalists out of Gaza for medical treatment. In a letter to Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), they emphasized that the delay in authorization for evacuation poses an imminent risk to the journalists’ lives. The letter highlighted the urgent need for their safe passage to either Jordan or Qatar for life-saving care.

The targeting of journalists during the ongoing conflict in Gaza has raised alarms about press safety, with more than 175 media workers reported killed since the beginning of the war. Al Jazeera has condemned these attacks as violations of international laws designed to protect journalists and humanitarian workers in conflict zones. They have called for immediate action from the international community to ensure the safety of all journalists and civilians in Gaza and to hold Israeli forces accountable for their actions.