ActionAid is devastated to learn that Fatin Shaqoura-Salha, the Chief of Nursing Staff at Al-Awda Hospital in Nuseirat, run by ActionAid’s partner Al-Awda, has been killed in Gaza, along with her family. Fatin, her husband, and their children were killed when their home was struck by the Israeli military on Wednesday while ceasefire negotiations were underway and just hours before a deal was confirmed.
This heartbreaking loss is yet another example of the Israeli military’s disregard for civilians and its disturbing pattern of attacks on hospitals and health workers, more than 1000 of whom have been killed since October 7.
It comes as Israeli military attacks intensify across Gaza despite a ceasefire deal having been reached: at least 80 people have been killed since the announcement yesterday evening, according to Gaza’s civil defense. Palestinians are now hoping they will survive the next three days to see the truce come into effect on Sunday.
Tasneem, who works with Palestinian NGOs Network (PNGO), ActionAid’s partner in Gaza, sent ActionAid this message:
“I can’t fathom how those who are now killed were, just hours ago, clinging to hope, awaiting the long overdue news of a ceasefire.
“Thousands lost their lives and dreams because the ceasefire did not come for over 15 months. With every minute of delay, entire families are being erased. Not just from life, but from the records of existence. Every passing minute matters. And every moment we lose means more innocent lives are being killed. So… ceasefire now.”
ActionAid demands an immediate end to the attacks on Gaza to stop any more lives being lost. All parties must ensure the ceasefire deal is implemented without delay so that desperately needed humanitarian aid can be rushed into Gaza and its exhausted, traumatized people can begin the long process of rebuilding their lives.
ENDS
Riham Jafari is available for interview. For media requests, please email christal.james@actionaid.org or call 7046659743.
About ActionAid
ActionAid is a global federation working with more than 41 million people living in more than 71 of the world’s poorest countries. We want to see a just, fair, and sustainable world, in which everybody enjoys the right to a life of dignity, and freedom from poverty and oppression. We work to achieve social justice and gender equality and to eradicate poverty.
