A pediatrician in Gaza lost nine of her ten children during an air strike that also critically injured her husband. Medical personnel express overwhelming pain, reflecting on the targeting of families amid the ongoing conflict. The UN warns of a worsening humanitarian crisis as aid continues to be insufficient, while thousands of Palestinians have died since the October offensive began.
A pediatrician in southern Gaza, Dr. Alaa Al-Najjar, faced an unimaginable tragedy as she lost nine of her ten children in an Israeli air strike that targeted her family home. She was working at Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis when the attack occurred, resulting in critical injuries to her husband, Dr. Hamdi Al-Najjar, and severe wounds to their only surviving child, an 11-year-old boy who underwent emergency surgery following the strike.
Dr. Muneer Alboursh, the director general of Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, expressed the depth of despair felt by medical staff in the region. “This is the reality our medical staff in Gaza endure. Words fall short in describing the pain,” he stated, emphasizing how families, not just healthcare workers, are experiencing the impact of the ongoing conflict.
Graphic footage released by the Palestinian Civil Defense and verified by media, including the BBC, depicts heartbreaking scenes of small children being pulled from the wreckage of a destroyed building in Khan Younis. This strike appears to align with the Israeli Defense Forces’ recent actions, which reported targeting over 100 sites in Gaza within a 24-hour timeframe.
Dr. Graeme Groom, a British surgeon volunteering at Nasser hospital, shared his experiences treating Dr. Al-Najjar’s surviving son. “He was very badly injured and seemed much younger as we lifted him onto the operating table,” he recalled, emphasizing the family’s non-political status, which made their suffering feel even more tragic. Groom lamented, “It’s a particularly sad day” for such a dedicated family.
Youssef Al-Najjar, a relative, voiced an emotional plea, “Enough. Have mercy on us.” He called for compassion from the international community amid the ongoing crisis, expressing exhaustion from displacement and hunger.
Dr. Victoria Rose, a British colleague at the hospital, noted the family’s home’s proximity to a petrol station, suggesting that a large explosion might have been involved in the strike’s devastation. “That is life in Gaza. That is the way it goes in Gaza,” she remarked, encapsulating the harsh reality of living in the region.
The United Nations has warned that Gaza may be entering its “cruelest phase” of the ongoing conflict. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned Israel’s restrictive measures on humanitarian aid, labeling the situation a catastrophe.
Recently, Israel partially lifted its blockade, allowing a limited number of aid trucks to enter Gaza, yet reports indicate that such deliveries are vastly insufficient. According to the UN, the territory requires 500-600 trucks of essential supplies daily to support its 2.1 million residents.
Since the onset of Israel’s offensive on October 7, following an attack by Hamas militants that resulted in significant casualties, over 53,000 Palestinians, including many women and children, have reportedly lost their lives. The health ministry in Gaza doesn’t differentiate between combatants and civilians, complicating the understanding of the humanitarian toll taken by the conflict.
The situation in Gaza reaches new depths of tragedy with the bombing that claimed the lives of nearly an entire family of healthcare workers. As the humanitarian crisis escalates, medical personnel and civilians alike continue to bear the brunt of violence. With mounting casualties reported and aid falling far short of urgent needs, the call for international action and mercy grows louder. Without substantial change, it seems Gaza faces a dire future in the ongoing conflict.
Original Source: www.arabnews.com
