Credited from: MIDDLEEASTEYE
The devastating Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis has resulted in the tragic deaths of nine out of ten children belonging to Dr. Alaa al-Najjar, a pediatrician working at Nasser Hospital. Dr. al-Najjar was treating patients when she heard her home had been struck, prompting a frantic rush back to find her children among the rubble, many of their bodies so charred they were unrecognizable, according to reports from her family and local officials BBC, Middle East Eye, South China Morning Post, CBS News, Al Jazeera, and Los Angeles Times.
The children, aged between seven months and 12 years, were killed during a renewed round of strikes, part of Israel's ongoing military campaign amid an escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The only surviving child, Adam, aged 11, remains in critical condition Channel News Asia, Dawn, Le Monde, Reuters, and TRT Global.
The airstrike is part of a broader escalation in violence that has seen approximately 79 people killed in the span of just 24 hours across Gaza, as the health ministry reported the overall death toll has now surpassed 53,901 since the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack Middle East Eye, NY Times, India Times, and NY Times.
The aftermath of the attack has incited outrage both locally and internationally, highlighting an urgent need for humanitarian aid amidst severe shortages in medical supplies and food. The UN has warned that many children are at critical risk of starvation due to ongoing blockades and military actions that severely restrict access to essential services Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, and BBC.