Israeli Airstrike Kills Nine Children of Gaza Doctor as She Treats Patients at Nasser Hospital

Report by Safarti Tarjuman International Desk

A tragic Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis has killed nine children of a Palestinian pediatrician, Dr. Alaa al-Najjar, while she was working her shift at Nasser Hospital. The children, all under the age of 13, were killed when their family home was struck during a wave of intensified air raids across southern Gaza.

The attack occurred on Friday, as Dr. al-Najjar treated victims of ongoing military operations. The only surviving child, an 11-year-old boy named Adam, along with her husband, also a doctor, sustained serious injuries and were rushed to the hospital where she works.

Hospital Confirms the Incident
Officials at Nasser Hospital confirmed the loss, describing the emotional devastation among staff. “She was doing what she always does—saving lives—when she received the news that her own children had been killed,” said Mohammed Saqer, head of nursing at the hospital. “Her strength in that moment was beyond comprehension.”

Footage circulated on social media, verified by independent sources, showed rescue workers retrieving charred bodies from rubble near a petrol station. Two of the doctor’s children were initially reported missing but were later confirmed dead.

IDF Statement and Ongoing Investigations
“The area was declared an active combat zone, and civilians were advised to evacuate,” said the IDF, adding that reports of civilian casualties are under review.

Global Reaction and Growing Criticism
The incident has drawn global attention and condemnation. Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, labeled the strike as part of a “deliberate and brutal pattern targeting civilians,” calling it a possible act of genocide.

Hamas described the strike as a “massacre,” accusing Israel of revenge-driven attacks against non-combatants.