The husband of Palestinian doctor Alaa al-Najjar remains in critical condition after an Israeli strike killed nine of their 10 children in Gaza. Dr. Hamdi al-Najjar, also a doctor, sustained significant injuries to his brain, lungs, right arm, and kidney, according to Dr. Milena Angelova-Chee, a Bulgarian doctor working at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis.
“It’s clear how much she is suffering,” Dr. Angelova-Chee said about her colleague, Alaa al-Najjar. The couple’s surviving 11-year-old son, Adam, was also injured and is reportedly doing “reasonably well”. Dr. Alaa al-Najjar was working at Nasser hospital when the Israeli attack happened.
The Israeli military has said the incident is under review, claiming its aircraft struck suspects in Khan Younis. However, Dr. Angelova-Chee described the situation as “unspeakable suffering” for her colleague, adding that many families are in the same position. “Everybody is really shocked because this continues already 18 months and it’s compounded by constant threat of death, constant relocations and evacuations,” she said.
Casualties and Damage
The Israeli strike killed nine children aged between a few months old and 12 years. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, Israeli air strikes have killed 22 people since dawn, mostly in central and southern Gaza. The ministry reports that at least 53,939 people, including 16,500 children, have been killed in Gaza since the conflict began.
Humanitarian Crisis
A UN-backed assessment warns that the entire Gaza population is at critical risk of famine. Israel has allowed limited aid to enter Gaza after an 11-week blockade, but the UN says much more aid is needed – between 500 to 600 trucks a day. The World Food Programme reported a halt in bread distribution due to limited supplies and security concerns.