GAZA, Palestine: In central Gaza, Palestinian ambulance worker Abed Bardini was devastated to discover that his mother, Samira, was among the victims of an Israeli airstrike.
Arab media reports, Bardini, who unknowingly transported her body to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir Al-Balah, collapsed in grief upon realizing her identity.
His mother, standing nearby when an airstrike targeted a car in the Maghazi refugee camp, was fatally injured. Health officials confirmed that two men in the vehicle died instantly, while 61-year-old Samira was killed by the blast.
The scene underscored the toll of ongoing airstrikes in Gaza, which Israeli forces state are intended to target militants.
While the Israeli military has emphasized its intent to minimize civilian casualties, Gaza’s densely populated areas have made this a challenge.
Palestinian health authorities report over 43,000 Palestinian casualties, including a significant number of women and children, since the conflict escalated following Hamas-led attacks on Israel in early October.
Bardini and his colleagues held a prayer and laid his mother to rest.
