A 10-year-old Palestinian boy who survived an Israeli airstrike that killed his father and nine siblings last month in Gaza has been flown to Italy for urgent medical treatment, officials confirmed on Tuesday.
Adam al-Najjar, who suffered severe injuries including the amputation of a hand and extensive burns, has been transferred from Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis to the Niguarda Hospital in Milan. He is accompanied by his mother, paediatrician Dr. Alaa al-Najjar, his aunt, and four cousins.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed the transfer, stating, "Adam will arrive in Milan and will be admitted to Niguarda Hospital because he has multiple fractures. He will receive the best care available."
Devastating Family Loss
BenriNews reports that the tragic airstrike occurred on May 23 in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis. According to Dr. Alaa al-Najjar, the explosion happened shortly after she left for work. Nine of her ten children were killed instantly.
Adam and his father, Dr. Hamdi al-Najjar, were critically injured in the attack. Dr. Hamdi succumbed to his wounds last week, further devastating the family.
"I remember everything," Dr. Alaa told Italy's La Repubblica newspaper. "Every detail, every minute, every scream. My children were charred beyond recognition."
Before departing Gaza, she said she packed only a few belongings, the Quran, essential documents, and some of Adam's clothes.
"I am heartbroken," she said. "I am leaving behind everything that was important to me. My husband, my children, the hospital where I worked, my job, my patients."
IDF Investigation
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has acknowledged the strike and said an investigation is underway. According to a preliminary probe, IDF forces had identified suspected terror operatives near the targeted building and called in an airstrike.
The area, located in southern Khan Younis, had been ordered evacuated on March 31, and the military said it did not anticipate civilian presence at the time of the strike.
This incident highlights the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where civilians continue to bear the brunt of the conflict that has raged since October 2023.
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