A devastating Israeli airstrike hit the home of Dr. Alaa al-Najjar, a pediatrician in Gaza, killing nine of her 10 children. The strike occurred in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, on Friday, leaving Dr. al-Najjar’s husband and 11-year-old son, Adam, injured. British surgeon Graeme Groom, who operated on Adam, described the situation as “unbearably cruel” and “unimaginable” for Dr. al-Najjar.
“It was unbearably cruel that his mother, who spent years caring for children as a pediatrician, could lose almost all her own in a single missile strike,” Mr. Groom told the BBC. He described Adam’s condition, saying, “His left arm was just about hanging off, he was covered in fragment injuries and he had several substantial lacerations.”
The Israeli military claimed its aircraft struck “a number of suspects” in Khan Younis on Friday and stated that the claim regarding harm to uninvolved civilians is under review. However, Dr. Muneer Alboursh, director of the health ministry, said the al-Najjar family house was hit minutes after Dr. al-Najjar’s husband, Hamdi, returned home after driving his wife to work. The eldest of Dr. al-Najjar’s children was aged 12.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemning Israel’s restrictions on humanitarian aid since March. “People in Gaza are enduring what may be the cruellest phase of the war,” he warned. The health ministry reported at least 74 people killed in the 24-hour period leading up to midday on Saturday.
Casualties and Humanitarian Crisis
The death toll in Gaza has surpassed 53,901 people, including at least 16,500 children, according to the territory’s health ministry. A UN-backed assessment this month said Gaza’s population was at “critical risk” of famine. Chronic shortages of water are worsening as desalination and hygiene plants run out of fuel.
In a statement, relative Youssef al-Najjar pleaded for mercy, saying, “Enough! Have mercy on us! We plead to all countries, the international community, the people, Hamas, and all factions to have mercy on us. We are exhausted from the displacement and the hunger, enough!”
International Response
The UK, France, and Canada have condemned the expanded Israeli military operation in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused UK Labour leader Starmer of siding with Hamas. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to unfold, with aid groups calling for increased support to alleviate the suffering.