A heart-wrenching tragedy unfolded at the Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Gaza as Mohammad Abu Al Qumsan’s world came crashing down. Leaving to collect birth certificates for his newborn twins, he received a devastating call that an Israeli strike had killed his wife and children. The scene of mourning captured by CNN showed the grief-stricken father surrounded by loved ones who comforted him.
Overwhelmed by loss, Al Qumsan knelt beside his family’s shrouded bodies, reciting Islamic funeral prayers. The airstrikes in Gaza had claimed the lives of his wife, a pharmacist, and his precious babies, among others.
The unfolding tragedy in Gaza has left hundreds of thousands struggling to cope amid a humanitarian crisis. Displaced, exposed to famine and disease, Palestinians face insurmountable challenges exacerbated by Israeli aid restrictions and a decimated healthcare system.
The UNICEF highlighted the plight of thousands of children enduring unimaginable horrors, with an estimated 17,000 unaccompanied or separated children in Gaza.
As the world watches from afar, the reality on the ground paints a grim picture of shattered lives, destroyed dreams, and a long road to recovery for the people of Gaza.
CNN —