An Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis has tragically claimed the lives of nearly an entire family of a local doctor. The attack occurred on Friday while Dr. Alaa al-Najjar, a pediatrician, was working at Nasser Hospital. Reports from Gaza health officials indicate that the strike targeted her home, resulting in a fire that killed nine of her ten children. The children, aged between seven months and 12 years, were identified as Sidar, Luqman, Sadin, Reval, Ruslan, Jubran, Eve, Rakan, and Yahya.
Dr. al-Najjar’s husband sustained critical injuries, suffering severe chest and head wounds, including a skull fracture. He is currently being treated in the intensive care unit of the same hospital where his wife works. Their only surviving child, 11-year-old Adam, is also in serious condition, receiving care in the moderate ICU alongside his mother.
Ahmad al-Farra, the head of the hospital’s pediatric department, expressed disbelief at the scale of the tragedy. He highlighted the shock Dr. al-Najjar must feel upon learning of the loss of her children. Al-Farra called on people worldwide to speak out against such violence, emphasizing that these children had no voice in the matter.
The attack has drawn sharp criticism from international observers. Francesca Albanese, the UN’s special rapporteur for Palestinian territories, condemned the strike as part of a disturbing pattern of violence against Palestinians, referring to it as a "new phase of genocide." She pointed out the targeting of families and medical personnel as particularly egregious.
In response, Hamas accused Israel of deliberately targeting civilians and medical staff in an effort to break their spirit. The Israeli military claimed the strike was aimed at suspected militants operating nearby and stated that it is reviewing the reports of civilian casualties.
This incident comes amid escalating violence in Gaza, with heavy bombardments reported daily. On the same day as the attack on the al-Najjar family, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that 79 bodies from Israeli strikes were brought to hospitals, not including those in areas that are currently inaccessible. Since the beginning of October 2023, the ministry has reported over 53,900 deaths and more than 122,000 injuries across the region.