Gaza: Tragedy struck in Gaza as the lifeless body of a five-year-old girl was discovered, nearly two weeks after her cousin made frantic calls for help to the Palestinian Red Crescent. The distress call reported an attack by an Israeli tank on the family’s car, which was fleeing the conflict-ridden enclave along with five other family members.
The Hamada family, like many others in Gaza, joined the mass exodus from their homes, encountering an Israeli tank on January 29 near a gas station in Gaza City.
Fifteen-year-old Layan, hiding in the car, managed to make the harrowing calls, alerting authorities of the imminent danger posed by the tank.
“They are shooting at us,” she cried out. “The tank is next to me.”
Tragically, amidst the chaos of gunfire, the call abruptly ended, leaving uncertainty and fear in its wake.
Responding swiftly, the Palestinian Red Crescent dispatched two medics to the scene, yet contact was lost with them shortly after their arrival.
In a grim turn of events, the medics were later discovered deceased, their ambulance destroyed and charred.
The Palestinian Red Crescent has vehemently accused Israeli forces of deliberately targeting the ambulance as it approached the family’s vehicle.
On the same day, the lifeless body of Hind, the six-year-old cousin, along with those of her family members inside the car, was also recovered.
In a somber statement posted on X, the Palestinian Red Crescent lamented the loss of its team members Yusuf Zeino and Ahmed Al-Madhoun, who perished in the line of duty while attempting to rescue six-year-old Hind.
“PRCS mourns their loss and we demand justice for their senseless killing. Once again instead of the Red Crescent logo protecting our teams, it will be used to bury them. This tragedy doesn’t stop our staff and volunteers from helping those suffering. Our resolve to continue serving our community remains unwavering,” the statement read.
According to the latest update from the Health Ministry in Gaza, the death toll in the conflict-stricken enclave has risen to 27,947, with 67,459 others sustaining injuries since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023.
Raed al-Nims, spokesperson for the Palestinian Red Crescent, denounced the killing of 20 of its staffers by Israeli forces, with approximately 30 others sustaining injuries.
