Once again, an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City has claimed a major life – this time, the target was the Director of the Indonesian Hospital, Dr. Marwan al-Sultan. According to reports, a targeted missile strike on Wednesday hit his home, killing Dr. Sultan along with his wife, sister, daughter, and son-in-law. The Palestinian medical group Healthcare Workers Watch (HWW) stated that Dr. Sultan was the 70th healthcare worker to be killed in the past 50 days. Dr. Sultan had repeatedly appealed to the international community to ensure the safety of Gaza’s medical staff. In an emotional statement, his daughter, Lobna al-Sultan, said the missile struck directly on her father’s room — all other rooms were intact; only that one room was targeted. This attack is yet another painful reminder that even Gaza’s doctors and their families are not safe.
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- The Israeli military is being accused of deliberately destroying Gaza’s healthcare system. For the past 20 months, hospitals, doctors, and ambulances have been repeatedly targeted in airstrikes. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, over 1,500 medical staff have been killed and more than 300 arrested since the war began. Healthcare Workers Watch (HWW) stated, “Israel’s deadly targeting is not only taking lives, but also erasing years of experience and medical knowledge of doctors — at a time when their skills are needed the most.”
A heartbreaking story has emerged from the Khan Younis area of Gaza. Palestinian pediatrician Dr. Alaa al-Najjar, who was on duty at al-Tahrir Hospital (Nasser Medical Complex), was devastated when she discovered the burned bodies of her own seven children brought into the hospital. The tragedy occurred when her home was targeted by an Israeli airstrike. Dr. Najjar had gone to work with her husband, Dr. Hamdi al-Najjar, but he returned home shortly afterward. Soon after, their house in the Qizan al-Najjar area was struck by a devastating Israeli bombardment. Nine of their ten children were killed in the attack — the eldest was just 13 years old, and the youngest only six months. The tenth child was critically injured. This tragedy further highlights the deep and painful humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza.