Italian Evacuation for Gaza Doctor and Surviving Son Following Tragic Air Strike

Dr. Alaa al-Najjar, a Palestinian doctor, is being evacuated to Italy with her 11-year-old son Adam after an Israeli air strike claimed the lives of her husband and nine children. Adam requires treatment for severe injuries sustained during the attack on their home.

A Palestinian doctor, Dr. Alaa al-Najjar, is on her way to Italy for medical treatment alongside her only surviving child, 11-year-old Adam al-Najjar. The mother-son duo is being evacuated following the traumatic loss of their family during an Israeli air strike in Gaza last month, which killed Dr. Alaa's husband, Dr. Hamdi al-Najjar, and all nine of their children.

The Italian foreign ministry announced that they are scheduled to fly to Milan on Wednesday. Adam, who suffered significant injuries, including fractures and nerve damage in his left arm, will be receiving the necessary medical care upon arrival in Italy. Reports emerged as footage surfaced, showing Dr. Alaa and Adam boarding a Red Crescent ambulance and saying farewell to Gaza.

In an interview with the Italian newspaper la Repubblica, Dr. Alaa detailed her son's condition, which she described as stable but severe. The evacuation mission also includes 17 other injured Palestinians and their relatives, who are being transported to various Italian cities through chartered flights managed by the Italian Air Force.

The heart-wrenching incident that led to Dr. Alaa and Adam's evacuation occurred on May 23 when an air strike hit their home in Khan Younis. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed they were targeting suspects in the area but confirmed they were reviewing the situation concerning civilian casualties.

Following the attack, Dr. Hamdi al-Najjar was hospitalized for critical injuries but tragically died days later. Meanwhile, Adam's grave injuries raised alarm among medical professionals, some describing his condition upon arrival at the hospital as dire, with severe lacerations and fragment-related injuries.

As the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues, reports indicate that the latest evacuation brings the total number of Palestinian patients transported to Italy for treatment to 150, along with over 450 accompanying family members. This overlap in events coincides with Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which escalated in response to Hamas's attacks earlier in October. The ongoing conflict has resulted in immense casualties, with the Hamas-run health ministry reporting over 54,981 fatalities in Gaza.