On a quiet Friday evening in Khan Younis, Gaza, Dr. Alaa al-Najjar was at her post in the pediatric ward of Nasser Hospital, tending to the wounded and sick, her heart and hands dedicated to saving lives. Little did she know that, in those same moments, her own world was about to collapse. An Israeli airstrike tore through her family home, killing nine of her ten children, aged from just six months to 12 years old. Her husband, Hamdi, a fellow doctor, was critically injured, and their only surviving child, an 11-year-old boy, was rushed into surgery under the skilled but trembling hands of a British surgeon. This tragedy, reported by outlets like the BBC, Sky News, and Middle East Eye, is not just a statistic in the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict—it’s a gut-wrenching reminder of the human toll of war, a story that demands we pause and reflect on the cost of violence and the urgent need for peace.
A Family Torn Apart
Dr. Alaa al-Najjar was no stranger to the chaos of Gaza’s war-torn reality. As a pediatrician at the Al Tahrir Clinic within Nasser Medical Complex, she spent her days treating children caught in the crossfire of a conflict that has raged since Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. That evening, May 23, 2025, she was at work when her husband, Hamdi, dropped her off at the hospital before heading home to their ten children. Minutes later, a missile struck their house, reducing it to rubble and snuffing out the lives of nine of their children. The youngest, a six-month-old infant, never had a chance to grow up. The eldest, barely 12, was just beginning to dream of a future. The surviving boy, clinging to life, was operated on by Dr. Graeme Groom, a British surgeon who later described the scene as “unbearably cruel.”
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, led by Dr. Muneer Alboursh, initially reported eight children killed, revising the count to nine as the grim reality unfolded. Hamdi, with a penetrating head injury, was fighting for his life in the same hospital where his wife worked. Dr. Youssef Abu al-Rish, a colleague, found Alaa in the operating room, waiting for news of her son. “She was calm, patient, filled with faith,” he said, his words shared by the health ministry. But how does a mother, a doctor, carry on after such a loss? A relative, Youssef al-Najjar, spoke to AFP, his voice breaking with exhaustion and grief: “Enough! Have mercy on us! We are tired of displacement, of hunger, of losing our loved ones.”
The images are haunting. Footage verified by the BBC, shared by the Palestinian Civil Defence, showed rescuers pulling the burned bodies of small children from the debris. Dr. Victoria Rose, another British surgeon, took to Instagram to share the story, emphasizing that Hamdi had no political or military ties, no social media presence that could have painted him as a target. This was a family of doctors, of caregivers, caught in a war they didn’t choose.
The Strike and Israel’s Response
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged the strike, stating it targeted “a number of suspects” operating near their troops in Khan Younis, an area they had declared a “dangerous war zone.” They claimed civilians were evacuated beforehand and said the reported deaths of uninvolved civilians were “under review.” But the precision of their targeting is under scrutiny. How does a missile meant for “suspects” end up killing nine children in a doctor’s home? The IDF’s broader statement reported striking over 100 targets across Gaza in the previous 24 hours, with Gaza’s health ministry reporting at least 74 deaths, including Alaa’s children, in that timeframe.
This strike is part of Israel’s intensified campaign in Gaza, reignited after a ceasefire collapsed on March 18, 2025. The war began with Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack, which killed 1,200 Israelis and took 251 hostages. Since then, Gaza’s health ministry reports over 53,822 Palestinian deaths, including 16,503 children, with countless others buried under rubble. Israel accuses Hamas of using civilians as shields, embedding fighters in homes, schools, and hospitals. Hamas denies this, and in the case of Dr. al-Najjar’s family, no evidence has surfaced linking them to any military activity. The world is left asking: was this a tragic mistake, or a symptom of a broader disregard for civilian lives?
A Humanitarian Catastrophe
This tragedy is not an isolated horror but a piece of a larger, devastating puzzle. Gaza is on its knees. The United Nations has called this phase of the war potentially the “cruellest,” with a blockade imposed by Israel in March 2025 choking off food, water, and medical supplies. On Friday, 83 trucks carrying aid entered Gaza after Israel partially lifted the blockade, but the UN says 500–600 trucks are needed daily to sustain 2.1 million people. Half a million face starvation, and scenes of desperate crowds mobbing bakeries or looters attacking aid convoys paint a picture of chaos and despair.
Water is scarce, with fuel shortages shutting down desalination plants. Malnourished mothers can’t breastfeed, and 90% of Gazans have been displaced, some multiple times, fleeing Israel’s expanding military operations. Hospitals are crumbling. Only 19 remain partially functional, overwhelmed with patients and critically low on supplies. Since October 2023, 1,400 healthcare workers have been killed, and attacks on facilities like Nasser Hospital have crippled Gaza’s ability to care for its wounded. Dr. al-Najjar, who dedicated her life to healing, now faces the unbearable task of mourning her own children while continuing her work.
The World Watches, Grieves, and Demands Answers
The international response has been swift but feels hollow to those on the ground. The UK, France, and Canada condemned Israel’s operations, with UK Foreign Minister David Lammy calling attacks on medical facilities “deplorable.” UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher accused Israel of creating “inhumane conditions” and urged action to prevent what Human Rights Watch warns could be “extermination.” The outrage is palpable, but words alone can’t undo the loss or stop the bombs.
This isn’t the first time questions have been raised about Israel’s targeting. In April 2025, an IDF strike on a Palestinian Red Crescent Society ambulance convoy killed 15 medics, with Israel’s initial claims of “suspicious” behavior debunked by video evidence. The October 2023 Al-Ahli Arab Hospital explosion, which killed hundreds, remains mired in conflicting accounts—Israel blaming a misfired Palestinian rocket, Palestinians pointing to an Israeli strike. These incidents, like the strike on Dr. al-Najjar’s home, demand independent investigations to uncover the truth and hold those responsible accountable.
The Endless Cycle of Violence
At its core, this war is a tragic loop of pain and retaliation. Hamas’s 2023 attack was a brutal escalation, but it grew from decades of occupation, displacement, and unresolved grievances. Israel’s response—aimed at dismantling Hamas and freeing hostages (58 remain, with 23 believed alive)—has leveled Gaza, leaving its people to bear the cost. The IDF’s claims of targeting Hamas fighters are undermined by tragedies like this one, where a family of doctors, with no apparent ties to militancy, is obliterated.
The targeting of healthcare workers and hospitals is particularly heartbreaking. Israel insists Hamas uses medical facilities as command centers, a charge Palestinian officials reject. The truth is often lost in the fog of war, but the result is clear: Gaza’s healthcare system is collapsing, and doctors like Alaa are left to pick up the pieces, even as they grieve.
A Plea for Humanity
Dr. Alaa al-Najjar’s story is a wound on the conscience of the world. Nine children, gone in an instant. A mother, a healer, forced to face a loss no one should endure. Her surviving son, fighting to live, is a fragile thread of hope in a sea of despair. This tragedy demands more than tears—it demands action. A ceasefire, unhindered humanitarian aid, and transparent investigations into civilian deaths are not just ideals; they’re necessities. The international community must move beyond condemnation to enforce protections for civilians and accountability for violations of international law.
For Alaa, the road ahead is unimaginable. Yet, her strength—her ability to stand in that operating room, waiting for news of her son while carrying the weight of her loss—is a testament to the resilience of Gaza’s people. Their suffering must not be ignored. Their voices, like Youssef al-Najjar’s plea—“Enough!”—must echo until the world listens.
The loss of Dr. al-Najjar’s children is a stark reminder that behind every number in this war is a human story. A six-month-old who’ll never take her first steps. A 12-year-old who’ll never chase his dreams. A mother who’ll carry this pain forever. As the world grapples with this conflict, we must hold space for these stories, demand justice, and work tirelessly for a future where no family endures such loss. For Alaa, for her children, for Gaza—peace cannot wait.
A Family Torn Apart
Dr. Alaa al-Najjar was no stranger to the chaos of Gaza’s war-torn reality. As a pediatrician at the Al Tahrir Clinic within Nasser Medical Complex, she spent her days treating children caught in the crossfire of a conflict that has raged since Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. That evening, May 23, 2025, she was at work when her husband, Hamdi, dropped her off at the hospital before heading home to their ten children. Minutes later, a missile struck their house, reducing it to rubble and snuffing out the lives of nine of their children. The youngest, a six-month-old infant, never had a chance to grow up. The eldest, barely 12, was just beginning to dream of a future. The surviving boy, clinging to life, was operated on by Dr. Graeme Groom, a British surgeon who later described the scene as “unbearably cruel.”
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, led by Dr. Muneer Alboursh, initially reported eight children killed, revising the count to nine as the grim reality unfolded. Hamdi, with a penetrating head injury, was fighting for his life in the same hospital where his wife worked. Dr. Youssef Abu al-Rish, a colleague, found Alaa in the operating room, waiting for news of her son. “She was calm, patient, filled with faith,” he said, his words shared by the health ministry. But how does a mother, a doctor, carry on after such a loss? A relative, Youssef al-Najjar, spoke to AFP, his voice breaking with exhaustion and grief: “Enough! Have mercy on us! We are tired of displacement, of hunger, of losing our loved ones.”
The images are haunting. Footage verified by the BBC, shared by the Palestinian Civil Defence, showed rescuers pulling the burned bodies of small children from the debris. Dr. Victoria Rose, another British surgeon, took to Instagram to share the story, emphasizing that Hamdi had no political or military ties, no social media presence that could have painted him as a target. This was a family of doctors, of caregivers, caught in a war they didn’t choose.
The Strike and Israel’s Response
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged the strike, stating it targeted “a number of suspects” operating near their troops in Khan Younis, an area they had declared a “dangerous war zone.” They claimed civilians were evacuated beforehand and said the reported deaths of uninvolved civilians were “under review.” But the precision of their targeting is under scrutiny. How does a missile meant for “suspects” end up killing nine children in a doctor’s home? The IDF’s broader statement reported striking over 100 targets across Gaza in the previous 24 hours, with Gaza’s health ministry reporting at least 74 deaths, including Alaa’s children, in that timeframe.
This strike is part of Israel’s intensified campaign in Gaza, reignited after a ceasefire collapsed on March 18, 2025. The war began with Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack, which killed 1,200 Israelis and took 251 hostages. Since then, Gaza’s health ministry reports over 53,822 Palestinian deaths, including 16,503 children, with countless others buried under rubble. Israel accuses Hamas of using civilians as shields, embedding fighters in homes, schools, and hospitals. Hamas denies this, and in the case of Dr. al-Najjar’s family, no evidence has surfaced linking them to any military activity. The world is left asking: was this a tragic mistake, or a symptom of a broader disregard for civilian lives?
A Humanitarian Catastrophe
This tragedy is not an isolated horror but a piece of a larger, devastating puzzle. Gaza is on its knees. The United Nations has called this phase of the war potentially the “cruellest,” with a blockade imposed by Israel in March 2025 choking off food, water, and medical supplies. On Friday, 83 trucks carrying aid entered Gaza after Israel partially lifted the blockade, but the UN says 500–600 trucks are needed daily to sustain 2.1 million people. Half a million face starvation, and scenes of desperate crowds mobbing bakeries or looters attacking aid convoys paint a picture of chaos and despair.
Water is scarce, with fuel shortages shutting down desalination plants. Malnourished mothers can’t breastfeed, and 90% of Gazans have been displaced, some multiple times, fleeing Israel’s expanding military operations. Hospitals are crumbling. Only 19 remain partially functional, overwhelmed with patients and critically low on supplies. Since October 2023, 1,400 healthcare workers have been killed, and attacks on facilities like Nasser Hospital have crippled Gaza’s ability to care for its wounded. Dr. al-Najjar, who dedicated her life to healing, now faces the unbearable task of mourning her own children while continuing her work.
The World Watches, Grieves, and Demands Answers
The international response has been swift but feels hollow to those on the ground. The UK, France, and Canada condemned Israel’s operations, with UK Foreign Minister David Lammy calling attacks on medical facilities “deplorable.” UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher accused Israel of creating “inhumane conditions” and urged action to prevent what Human Rights Watch warns could be “extermination.” The outrage is palpable, but words alone can’t undo the loss or stop the bombs.
This isn’t the first time questions have been raised about Israel’s targeting. In April 2025, an IDF strike on a Palestinian Red Crescent Society ambulance convoy killed 15 medics, with Israel’s initial claims of “suspicious” behavior debunked by video evidence. The October 2023 Al-Ahli Arab Hospital explosion, which killed hundreds, remains mired in conflicting accounts—Israel blaming a misfired Palestinian rocket, Palestinians pointing to an Israeli strike. These incidents, like the strike on Dr. al-Najjar’s home, demand independent investigations to uncover the truth and hold those responsible accountable.
The Endless Cycle of Violence
At its core, this war is a tragic loop of pain and retaliation. Hamas’s 2023 attack was a brutal escalation, but it grew from decades of occupation, displacement, and unresolved grievances. Israel’s response—aimed at dismantling Hamas and freeing hostages (58 remain, with 23 believed alive)—has leveled Gaza, leaving its people to bear the cost. The IDF’s claims of targeting Hamas fighters are undermined by tragedies like this one, where a family of doctors, with no apparent ties to militancy, is obliterated.
The targeting of healthcare workers and hospitals is particularly heartbreaking. Israel insists Hamas uses medical facilities as command centers, a charge Palestinian officials reject. The truth is often lost in the fog of war, but the result is clear: Gaza’s healthcare system is collapsing, and doctors like Alaa are left to pick up the pieces, even as they grieve.
A Plea for Humanity
Dr. Alaa al-Najjar’s story is a wound on the conscience of the world. Nine children, gone in an instant. A mother, a healer, forced to face a loss no one should endure. Her surviving son, fighting to live, is a fragile thread of hope in a sea of despair. This tragedy demands more than tears—it demands action. A ceasefire, unhindered humanitarian aid, and transparent investigations into civilian deaths are not just ideals; they’re necessities. The international community must move beyond condemnation to enforce protections for civilians and accountability for violations of international law.
For Alaa, the road ahead is unimaginable. Yet, her strength—her ability to stand in that operating room, waiting for news of her son while carrying the weight of her loss—is a testament to the resilience of Gaza’s people. Their suffering must not be ignored. Their voices, like Youssef al-Najjar’s plea—“Enough!”—must echo until the world listens.
The loss of Dr. al-Najjar’s children is a stark reminder that behind every number in this war is a human story. A six-month-old who’ll never take her first steps. A 12-year-old who’ll never chase his dreams. A mother who’ll carry this pain forever. As the world grapples with this conflict, we must hold space for these stories, demand justice, and work tirelessly for a future where no family endures such loss. For Alaa, for her children, for Gaza—peace cannot wait.
