In a heartbreaking account from Gaza, Doctor Hamdi al-Najjar and his wife, Dr. Alaa al-Najjar, have experienced an unimaginable tragedy. Israeli airstrikes in the area have tragically killed nine out of 10 children. The only survivor—the couples’ 11 year-old son—is now in critical condition and fighting for his life. The latest barrage of violence has personally affected the couple’s family. This chaos has caused unprecedented destruction in all of Gaza.
The [situation] that played out on Friday when Dr. Alaa al-Najjar, a pediatrician at Nasser Hospital, was working a shift. When she hurried home, she discovered her family’s home burning to the ground. Her husband, Doctor Hamdi al-Najjar, had been seriously injured in an air raid that targeted their residence. This heartbreaking loss for the couple only adds to a vicious cycle of grief in the region. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, at least 3,747 people have been killed since Israel escalated military operations on March 18.
The Impact of Airstrikes
Within the first 24 hours, Israeli airstrikes targeted more than 100 facilities in a military-style shock-and-awe campaign. The psychological effects of this bombardment have taken a heavy toll on families as well as healthcare facilities. To put it lightly, these strikes on Gaza have caused over 500 deaths, including at least 79 Palestinians killed in just the last 24 hours alone.
This emergency has created an increased strain on hospitals, such as Nasser Hospital, where Dr. Alaa al-Najjar, our 2023 Young Leader, practices. Multiple news reports now allege that the hospital has been attacked, necessitating emergency evacuations of patients. Dr. Saleh Hams, who heads the nursing department at Nasser Hospital, verified that patients had been evacuated. This move came after an Israeli strike on May 13.
“Suddenly, a missile from an F-16 destroyed the entire house, and all of them were civilians — my sister, her husband and their children,” – Wissam Al-Madhoun
As violence continues, health workers are increasingly unable to treat the wounded. The surreal and haunting realities of war are all too real. Healthcare professionals, such as pediatric cardiologist Dr. Alaa al-Najjar, face the double trauma of caring for victims while dealing with their own family deaths.
A Family’s Unimaginable Loss
Drs Hamdi al-Najj Jar and Dr Alaa al-Najjar were esteemed members of the Khan Younis medical community. During those years, they lived to care for and worship with their community of friends and neighbors, all while raising ten children together! Their family has already been impacted by violence. Even more tragically, many of them have lost children as young as seven months old and up to twelve years old.
The emotional toll on their relationship and on the couple as they come to grips on what this means all around is deep. Their only surviving son is still in critical condition, deepening their already tragic situation with additional trauma and stress.
“What did this child do to [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu?” – Wissam Al-Madhoun
This tragedy not only highlights the personal loss suffered by one family but reflects the broader humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza. Families are still reeling from the loss, as airstrikes decimate homes, families, and communities.
Calls for Peace
As the terrible violence continues, calls for an end to hostilities and peace negotiations only get more insistent. Would they agree today that the war should stop immediately? They want an end to the violence on both sides. Jonathan Adereth expressed this urgent desire for resolution:
“We want the war to end now because we see … that the war will not lead to the release of the hostages, and that it will bring more death, more misery on both sides.”
Public sentiment is turning –– fast –– against further escalation in the years-long conflict. Activists and ordinary citizens across the country have called on their leaders to push for de-escalation and diplomacy instead of military escalation. Liran Berman pointed out the choices facing Israel’s government:
“The Israeli government and its leader have a clear choice: deal or war, saving lives or abandonment.”
A giant banner displayed during recent protests echoed this sentiment with a simple yet powerful message:
“Save the hostages, end the war.”
