Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of Jordan caught up with Al Jazeera’s Gaza bureau chief, Wael Al-Dahdouh, and his family while she was in Doha for the AFC 2023 Asian Cup final between Qatar and Jordan.

She even snapped a pic with them and shared it on Insta, giving a shoutout to Wael for his dedication to sharing Gaza’s story with the world, despite facing some serious hardships and losing loved ones along the way.

“Few people sacrifice so much for the truth. Thank you, Wael Al Dahdouh, for your commitment to share Gaza’s story with the world despite having endured tremendous pain and the loss of loved ones,” she wrote. “It’s that kind of courage and resilience that make a true hero. May God grant you patience and protect Gaza and its people.”

Wael, who’s been covering Gaza for over two decades, has been the go-to guy for Al Jazeera’s coverage of Israel’s war and deadly attacks on the Palestinian territory since October. He’s been through a lot, and sadly, he lost several family members in Israel’s strikes.

Back in October, during a live broadcast, he got the devastating news that four of his family members, including his wife Amna, grandchild Adam, 15-year-old son Mahmoud, and 7-year-old daughter Shams, were killed in an Israeli strike at the Nuseirat refugee camp.

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And if that wasn’t enough heartbreak, his son Hamza, who was also a journalist, got caught up in an Israeli attack in January while coming back from a job in Rafah. Hamza and his colleague Mustafa Thuraya tragically lost their lives.

It’s a heavy load for Wael to bear, but his dedication to shedding light on the situation in Gaza is truly commendable. Hats off to him for his bravery and resilience in the face of such adversity.