A family fled fighting for safety in Gaza, but the camp didn’t save them

Rami Essam Abu Jamea and his family fled fighting in Gaza seeking safety in a designated camp, but violence followed them to Al-Mawasi in Khan Younis, where his two young daughters were killed near their tent. As reported by NBC News, the girls, 12-year-old Rima and 10-year-old Rahaf, were killed by an Israeli missile strike while sheltering in the area.

Footage reviewed by NBC News shows Abu Jamea, 44, leaning over Rima’s body at Nasser Hospital, kissing her cheek and pleading for her to wake up. He then turned to Rahaf, who was also killed, telling those around him that his daughters were his only children, much like the grief witnessed in a recent piece on the impact of journalism layoffs at The Washington Post.

His wife, Sanaa Abdullah Buwaid, arrived shortly afterward, and the couple embraced as they mourned their loss. The images spread widely, underscoring the civilian toll of continued strikes despite a truce being in place.

Civilian deaths continue despite truce

The sisters were among at least 23 Palestinians killed in Gaza on Wednesday, according to hospital officials, most of whom were women and children. The same day, a separate strike in the Tuffah neighborhood of northern Gaza killed at least 11 people from one family, including two parents, a 10-day-old girl, her 5-month-old cousin, and their grandmother.

Palestinians say the violence has not stopped despite a U.S.-backed truce that began on October 10. Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that more than 520 people have been killed since the ceasefire took effect, with repeated flare-ups undermining the agreement, a situation resonant with other ongoing crises, such as how a New Orleans police recruit was one week from graduating, then ICE revealed something shocking about him.

Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmiya, director of Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, said bombardment has continued, with airstrikes still hitting homes and civilian areas. Israeli military officials said they struck Al-Mawasi after militants fired on soldiers in the north of the Strip, seriously wounding one.

The military stated that its troops were operating on the Israeli-controlled side of the yellow line and that armored units and aircraft conducted strikes in the area. In a separate statement, Israel said it was targeting a Hamas commander involved in the October 7, 2023, attack on the Nir Oz kibbutz and that measures were taken to mitigate civilian harm.

Israel also said it eliminated another militant accused of killing Cpl. Noa Marciano, while she was held captive, added that she regrets harm to uninvolved civilians. Eight Arab and Muslim countries, including mediators Egypt and Qatar, have condemned what they described as repeated violations of the truce.

Some parts of the ceasefire agreement have progressed, including the return of all hostages held by Hamas and the release of several thousand Palestinian prisoners by Israel. Increased food and humanitarian aid have also entered Gaza, and the Rafah border crossing with Egypt has partially reopened for medical cases.

The war began on October 7, 2023, when a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel killed 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage, and Gaza’s Health Ministry says nearly 72,000 Palestinians have been killed since.