Mahmoud Wadi

Their life

Mahmoud Wadi was a Palestinian freelance photojournalist and drone operator from Khan Younis, Gaza. Originally known for running a popular photography studio for weddings and community events, he later shifted to conflict and humanitarian documentation during the war in Gaza. His work focused on aerial and ground-level visual reporting of destruction and displacement, and he collaborated independently with several regional and international media outlets.
He was killed on December 2, 2025, while preparing to document destruction in central Khan Younis.

Mahmoud Wadi, aged 24, was a freelance photojournalist and drone operator who worked independently with multiple broadcasters, including Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera Mubasher, Al Araby TV, and Al-Ghad TV.

Before the war, Wadi operated one of the most well-known photography studios in Khan Younis, specializing in weddings and social events. As the conflict escalated, he transitioned into humanitarian and journalistic documentation, producing visual material for aid organizations assisting displaced Palestinians in southern Gaza.

In the later stages of the war, he increasingly focused on aerial journalism using drones, capturing footage of destruction in areas often inaccessible to international media. Colleagues described him as cautious, experienced, and well aware of the risks of drone operation in conflict zones.

How they died

Killed by an Israeli drone missile strike.

On the morning of December 2, 2025, Mahmoud Wadi stepped outside his sister’s home in central Khan Younis to document destruction using a drone. At approximately 10:48 a.m., an Israeli military drone fired a missile directly at him as he and fellow freelance journalist Mohammed Islayeh (40) were preparing the drone for launch.

Why we remember them

This record exists so that Mahmoud Wadi, and all who are named in this archive, are never reduced to a number.

References & sources