Dr Alaa Al-Najjar, a paediatrician at Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, lost nine of her ten children in an Israeli airstrike while she was on duty. At the time, she was treating children injured in earlier strikes. Meanwhile, her own family home in the Qizan Al-Najjar area was hit.
The children’s bodies were later brought to the same hospital where she works. Some were severely burned or dismembered, according to hospital sources. Her husband, Dr Hamdi Al-Najjar, and one child survived but remain in critical condition.
Details of the strike
Relatives reported that the house was initially hit by a non-explosive missile. Minutes later, a second strike destroyed the building completely. Dr Suheir Al-Najjar, a family member, said the home was sheltering 10 children and two medical professionals at the time. The oldest child was 12 years old, and the youngest just six months.
She also said that due to the state of the bodies, the family could not properly say goodbye. Seven bodies were recovered from the rubble. Two children remained missing beneath the debris.
Ongoing conflict and legal actions
Since October 2023, Israeli military operations in Gaza have resulted in the deaths of over 53,900 people. Most of the casualties have been women and children.
In November, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. They are accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity. In addition, a genocide case against Israel is under review at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
