DaysofPal – For more than two years, Palestinian photojournalist Mohammed al-Qahouji has lived with the physical and emotional scars of an Israeli air strike that nearly killed him. Every assignment he accepts is accompanied by severe pain, a constant reminder of the attack that claimed the lives of two fellow journalists and left him permanently injured.
Al-Qahouji, 40, says returning to journalism has become an exhausting struggle. Pain shoots through his jaw, hand, and spine whenever he works, limiting his ability to continue the profession that has defined his life.
He was critically injured on January 7, 2024, while covering the aftermath of an Israeli strike in southern Gaza alongside Al Jazeera journalists Hamza al-Dahdouh and Mustafa Abu Thuraya. As the media crew was returning to their vehicle after documenting the recovery of victims’ bodies, an Israeli warplane struck them directly. Al-Dahdouh and Abu Thuraya were killed, while al-Qahouji survived with devastating injuries.
“We survived and kept driving because we never imagined that journalists documenting the aftermath would themselves become targets,” al-Qahouji recalled.
He said paramedics initially believed he had died and placed him on top of Hamza al-Dahdouh’s body before realizing he was still alive.
Permanent Injuries, Limited Hope
The blast caused catastrophic injuries. Surgeons reconstructed his face with titanium plates after severe damage stretching from his eye to a major artery. His right hand suffered extensive tendon and joint damage, forcing doctors to amputate one finger. Spinal injuries left him with persistent numbness in his legs, making it difficult to stand or walk for extended periods.
More than two years later, al-Qahouji has undergone over 25 operations. Doctors say he still requires reconstructive surgery and long-term rehabilitation that cannot be provided inside Gaza.
Now living in a rented apartment after his home was destroyed in an Israeli air strike in November 2023, he faces an agonizing choice between continuing to document Israel’s war on Gaza or leaving the enclave for specialized medical treatment.
“I want to work again. It’s my only source of income, but my body doesn’t allow me to do what I used to,” he said.
“My injuries have taken away nearly 90 percent of my ability to work. Today, my dream is simple: to receive treatment and return to the field where I spent years documenting other people’s stories.”
Journalists Demand Evacuation
On Wednesday, dozens of injured Palestinian journalists gathered at the headquarters of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS) in Gaza City to demand urgent medical evacuation for media workers suffering from severe injuries and chronic illnesses.
Participants held photographs of some of the 263 journalists killed during Israel’s military campaign in Gaza while calling on the international community to facilitate treatment abroad for those who remain alive but critically injured.
According to Ahed Farwana, secretary-general of the PJS, more than 40 Palestinian journalists currently require specialized medical care unavailable inside Gaza.
The syndicate has submitted medical documentation to international organizations, urging them to arrange medical evacuations while guaranteeing journalists’ right to return after treatment.
“The right to medical treatment is a basic human right. It should never be denied because of war, siege, or movement restrictions,” Farwana said.
He accused Israel of preventing injured journalists from leaving Gaza and criticized international organizations for limiting their response to expressions of concern.
“The journalists documented this war from its first day, often at enormous personal risk,” he said. “Today, many of them are no longer asking for anything except the chance to survive.”
Among those attending the protest was 34-year-old photojournalist Moaz al-Salhi, who suffers from severe Crohn’s disease.
Diagnosed in 2022, al-Salhi had been scheduled to begin biological treatment in Israel in October 2023. The outbreak of war prevented him from receiving the therapy, leaving him trapped in Gaza without access to specialized care.
His condition has since deteriorated dramatically. Frequent medical emergencies have become routine, with repeated hospital admissions after losing consciousness.
“I keep trying to resist the disease so I can continue working, but every time I think I’m getting better, I collapse again,” he said.
Al-Salhi often carries medication alongside his camera equipment while reporting. On some occasions, he continued covering events despite still having an intravenous cannula in his hand after hospital treatment.
“There were days when I covered stories with an IV cannula still in my hand. I was exhausted, but I wanted to keep telling people’s stories,” he said. “Now, I have become the story. I’m the one who needs treatment.”
The father of two says he has lost significant weight and grows weaker with every relapse. His greatest fear is that his illness will become irreversible if he remains unable to leave Gaza.
“My family is terrified that one day my body simply won’t be able to take any more,” he said. “I don’t want to reach that stage.”
Thousands Await Life-Saving Care
Like thousands of other patients in Gaza, al-Salhi’s hopes of receiving treatment depend on being medically evacuated abroad.
“I don’t want anything extraordinary,” he said. “I just want the chance to receive treatment, return to my family, and go back to doing the work I love.”
The continuing Israeli siege has severely restricted movement into and out of Gaza, leaving thousands of patients unable to access specialized medical care unavailable inside the enclave. At the same time, the widespread destruction of Gaza’s healthcare system has drastically reduced local treatment capacity.
According to the World Health Organization, more than 18,500 patients in Gaza currently require urgent medical evacuation for specialized care that cannot be provided locally.
Only a small proportion have been able to leave through limited medical evacuation programs since the war began, while thousands remain on waiting lists. The Rafah crossing, historically the main route for patients seeking treatment abroad, has opened only intermittently, allowing relatively small numbers of patients and their companions to travel to Egypt or other countries.
Humanitarian organizations have repeatedly warned that movement restrictions continue to delay or prevent access to life-saving treatment for patients suffering from severe injuries, chronic illnesses, and other conditions requiring specialized medical care unavailable inside Gaza.
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