Following a tragic Israeli airstrike that claimed his family, 11-year-old Adam al-Najjar is en route to Italy for treatment of severe injuries sustained in the attack. Accompanied by his mother, they hope to receive specialized care as part of a humanitarian evacuation effort.
Survivor of Devastating Israeli Airstrike Evacuated to Italy for Medical Treatment
Survivor of Devastating Israeli Airstrike Evacuated to Italy for Medical Treatment
11-year-old Adam al-Najjar, the sole survivor of an Israeli airstrike that killed his father and nine siblings, is transported to Italy for urgent medical care.
An 11-year-old Palestinian boy named Adam al-Najjar, who narrowly escaped death during a devastating Israeli airstrike in Gaza last month, is being evacuated to Italy for much-needed medical treatment. Adam is the only survivor of an attack that claimed the lives of his father, Dr. Hamdi al-Najjar, and nine of his siblings when their home in Khan Younis was struck on May 23.
According to Italy's foreign ministry, Adam and his mother, Dr. Alaa al-Najjar, departed from Gaza on Wednesday evening, destined for Milan. While the boy's condition is stable, his mother expressed concern, stating that "his left arm is in bad shape, the bones are fractured and the nerves are damaged," during an interview with la Repubblica, an Italian newspaper.
The evacuation involved not only Adam and Alaa but also 17 other injured Palestinians and their relatives, who crossed the border into the Israeli city of Eilat before boarding chartered flights operated by the Italian Air Force. The flight carrying Adam was set to land at Milan's Linate Airport. Since the initiative began, Italy has facilitated the evacuation of around 150 Palestinian patients and over 450 family members from the region.
Dr. Hamdi al-Najjar, who had just returned from dropping his wife at the hospital where they worked, died days after the attack due to severe injuries sustained during the airstrike. Adam, meanwhile, suffered critical wounds; a British surgeon who treated him described his condition upon arrival as grave, with severe fragment injuries and substantial lacerations.
In response to the attack, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed that their aircraft targeted suspects operating in a combat zone, asserting the area had been evacuated to ensure civilian safety. Yet, the claims of civilian casualties remain under scrutiny.
This incident further escalates tensions amid ongoing military operations in Gaza, initiated by Israel in the wake of a cross-border attack by Hamas, which left over 1,200 people dead and hundreds more hostage. Reports indicate that the ongoing conflict has led to over 54,981 fatalities in Gaza as detailed by the local Hamas-run health ministry, highlighting the dire humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region.
