A Mother's Loss: The Tragedy of Dr. Alaa al-Najjar in Gaza

In a devastating incident on May 23, 2025, an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis, Gaza, resulted in the deaths of nine of Dr. Alaa al-Najjar's ten children. Dr. al-Najjar, a dedicated pediatrician at Nasser Hospital, was on duty treating victims of other attacks when her own home was targeted. The strike also critically injured her husband, Dr. Hamdi al-Najjar, and their surviving 11-year-old son, Adam.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) stated that their aircraft targeted "a number of suspects" operating near IDF troops in Khan Younis. They acknowledged the claim regarding harm to uninvolved civilians is under review. The IDF emphasized that Khan Younis is a dangerous war zone and that civilians were evacuated from the area for their safety prior to operations.

British surgeon Graeme Groom, working at Nasser Hospital, operated on Adam and described the situation as "unbearably cruel." He noted that Adam's left arm was nearly severed, and he suffered multiple fragment injuries and substantial lacerations. Groom added that despite both parents being doctors, Adam appeared much younger than his age due to his injuries and trauma.

The Gaza Health Ministry reported that at least 74 people were killed by Israeli military actions in the 24-hour period leading up to midday on May 24. The ministry's director, Dr. Muneer Alboursh, stated that the al-Najjar family's home was struck minutes after Dr. Hamdi al-Najjar returned home from driving his wife to work.

Mahmoud Basal, spokesman for Gaza's Civil Defence agency, confirmed that his teams recovered eight bodies and several injured individuals from the al-Najjar residence near a petrol station in Khan Younis. The hospital initially reported eight children killed, later updating the number to nine.

Dr. Youssef Abu al-Rish recounted arriving at the operating room to find Dr. al-Najjar waiting for information about her surviving son. He attempted to console her amidst the overwhelming tragedy. A relative, Youssef al-Najjar, expressed desperation, pleading for mercy from the international community and all factions involved.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that Gaza is enduring what may be "the cruellest phase" of the war, denouncing Israel's blockade on humanitarian aid imposed in March. Although Israel partially lifted the blockade, allowing 83 trucks carrying essential supplies into Gaza on May 23, the UN stated that this is insufficient for the territory's 2.1 million people, emphasizing the need for 500 to 600 trucks daily.

The limited aid has led to chaotic scenes, with armed looters attacking convoys and Palestinians crowding outside bakeries in desperate attempts to obtain bread. A UN-backed assessment indicated that Gaza's population is at "critical risk" of famine, with reports of malnourished mothers unable to breastfeed and children suffering from severe malnutrition.

Chronic shortages of water are worsening as desalination and hygiene plants run out of fuel. Israel's expanding military offensive continues to cause new waves of displacement. Israel has stated that the blockade aims to pressure Hamas to release hostages still held in Gaza, accusing the group of stealing supplies—a claim Hamas denies.

The conflict escalated following Hamas's cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths and 251 hostages taken. Since then, Israel's military campaign in Gaza has led to at least 53,901 Palestinian deaths, including at least 16,500 children, according to Gaza's health ministry.

Dr. Alaa al-Najjar's personal tragedy underscores the profound human cost of the ongoing conflict in Gaza. As a pediatrician who dedicated her life to caring for children, the loss of nine of her own children in a single airstrike is a stark reminder of the war's devastating impact on civilians. The international community continues to call for increased humanitarian aid and a resolution to the conflict to prevent further loss of innocent lives.