5-year-old girl found dead in Gaza weeks after phone calls for help

5-year-old girl found dead in Gaza weeks after phone calls for help

The body of a five-year-old girl has been found in Gaza, almost two weeks after her cousin made calls for help to the Palestinian Red Crescent, that she and five of her family members, who were fleeing the war-torn enclave in their car, had come under attack from an Israeli tank.

The Hamada family, who was among more than 80 per cent of Gaza’s population evacuating their homes, encountered the Israeli tank on January 29 near a gas station in Gaza City.

Layan, 15, made the calls hiding in the car, saying that the tank was near their car.

Everyone in the vehicle was dead, except her and her six-year-old cousin, Hind.

“They are shooting at us,” she told the Palestinian Red Crescent. “The tank is next to me.”

Amid a burst of gunfire, she screamed, and the line went silent.

This led to a rescue attempt by the Palestinian Red Crescent, which immediately dispatched two medics. But it lost contact with them hours after the medics reached the site.

On Saturday, they were also found dead, while their ambulance was blackened and destroyed.

The Palestinian Red Crescent has accused Israeli forces of targeting the ambulance as it pulled up near the family’s vehicle.

Also on Saturday, Hind’s body, along with those of all her family members who were inside the car, were also found.

In a post on X, the Palestinian Red Crescent said, “In a devastating ending, Palestine Red Crescent team members Yusuf Zeino and Ahmed Al-Madhoun were killed in their ambulance on their approved mission to rescue 6-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,” it added.

In its latest update, the Health Ministry in Gaza said the death toll in the war-torn enclave has increased to 27,947, with 67,459 others injured since the Israel-Hamas war erupted in October 2023.

Palestinian Red Crescent spokesperson Raed al-Nims said Israel has killed 20 of its staffers and injured about 30 others.

ALSO READ | Few families of Israeli hostages don’t want deal to bring them home. Here’s why