Hossam Manal Saadi Al-Dabaka (حسام منال سعدي الدباكه)

• Death: Hossam Manal Saadi Al-Dabaka (حسام منال سعدي الدباكه) was killed on August 22, 2024, reportedly in a targeted airstrike on his family home in the Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza.
• Journalistic Association: The Committee to Protect Journalists and the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms identified Hossam Al-Dabaka as a camera operator who freelanced for the Palestinian Islamic Jihad-owned Al-Quds Today TV satellite channel. The International Federation of Journalists referred to him as a photojournalist. In reality, Hossam Al-Dabaka was active in the Islamic Association (الرابطة الإسلامية), the student wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) movement in Palestine.
• Militant Affiliation: After his death, tributes on social media referred to him as a ‘fighter,’ ‘commander,’ and ‘heroic knight‘ of the Central Al-Quds Brigade battalion. Additionally, his posts on Facebook in the days leading up to the October 7 attacks suggest foreknowledge and involvement:
  • ‘Anyone who thinks that the Islamic Jihad will stop its struggle over even a single inch of Palestine, whether Islamic or nationalist, is mistaken. Our appointment is on Friday at the battalion’s grounds.’ ~ Hossam Al-Dabaka, Tuesday, October 3, 2023
  • ‘Just a few hours separate us from the biggest and most spectacular show in Palestine, featuring the giants of the resistance, the men of Asmar… Scenes that will soothe the heart and showcase men of immense strength.’ ~ Hossam Al-Dabaka, Wednesday, October 4, 2023 (Note: The term ‘the men of al-Asmar’ (رجالات الأسمر) is used symbolically in this context to refer to Palestinian resistance fighters.)

Update (May 17, 2026): PIJ’s Saraya Al-Quds Brigades Military Media confirmed that Hossam Al-Dadaka served as a Platoon Commander in the group’s Central Military Media Unit within the Central Brigade.