Remembering our colleagues killed in Gaza

Abdullah Hammad was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza on July 3. Israeli forces deliberately targeted a group of people, including Abdullah, without warning as they waited for aid trucks. At least 16 people were killed in total, according to medical teams at Nasser Hospital. The group had been desperately hoping to collect flour from an aid truck in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, next to a desalination plant in the area, where a similar incident took place on June 17. Abdullah was a hygienist who worked at Al-Mawasi clinic for a year and a half until June 30. 

Hussam Al Loulou was killed in a strike on the morning of April 1, southwest of Deir al-Balah, central Gaza. His wife and 28-year-old daughter were also killed in this horrendous attack. He was 58 years old.

Hussam joined MSF in December 2024 as a watchman at the MSF urgent care unit in Khan Younis.  He was known for his selflessness, humility, and genuine care for those around him. He is survived by two sons.

Our colleague Alaa Abd-Elsalam Ali Okal was killed by an Israeli airstrike on his apartment building in Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza, Palestine.

Along with hundreds of others across the Gaza Strip, Alaa Abd-Elsalam Ali Okal was killed in the early morning of March 18 following the resumption of Israeli attacks. Hundreds more were injured in this abrupt end to the ceasefire.

Alaa Okal joined MSF as a laundry worker in September 2024 and played an important role in supporting people in need of medical care at MSF’s field hospital in Deir Al-Balah. He was 29 years old.

Bilal and his relatives—including his wife, seven children, sister, and his elderly mother—were killed by an Israeli airstrike in December 2024. They had been sheltering in their building after being trapped in the area while it was under violent siege by Israeli forces. MSF lost contact with Bilal on December 1 and despite all our attempts to get information about his situation, we only received confirmation of his death on January 19, 2025.

When we last heard from Bilal, he was running out of food and water and was stuck in his home with his relatives. They had tried to leave Jabalia, but the bombings were so intense that it was unsafe to move.

Bilal joined MSF as a hygiene agent in 2017 and played a major role in supporting people in need of medical care when we resumed work at our clinic in Gaza City in April 2024. He was 37 years old. In this tragic moment, our thoughts are with Bilal’s family, friends, and colleagues mourning his death.  

Hasan Suboh, 41, was killed on October 24 in an attack on the building where he was staying with his relatives in Khan Younis. According to the Ministry of Health, at least 33 people were killed in this attack, including 14 children.

Hasan joined MSF in 2019 as a skilled laborer, and was married with seven children.

Nasser Hamdi Abdelatif Al Shalfouh, 31, was killed by shrapnel injuries he suffered to his legs and chest on October 8 in Jabalia, northern Gaza, and died from his injuries on October 10 at Kamal Adwan Hospital. He was unable to receive the necessary level of care due to the hospital's lack of capacity and an overwhelming number of patients in the facility.

Nasser joined MSF as a driver in March 2023 and had not been working since the war started, as MSF activities in northern Gaza have been severely affected. He is survived by his wife and two children.

Fadi Al-Wadiya was killed on June 25 along with five other people, including children, near an MSF clinic in Gaza City. He was cycling to work at the time, on his way to provide medical care to others who had been injured. Al-Wadiya was a 33-year-old physiotherapist and father of three. He worked for MSF from 2018 to 2022 and rejoined the organization in 2024.

On June 26, Israeli authorities shared several posts on social media accusing Al-Wadiya of involvement in military activities in Gaza. MSF is deeply concerned by these allegations and is taking them very seriously. 

MSF has reached out to Israeli authorities asking for clarifications about the circumstances of Al-Wadiya's killing. Only an independent investigation can establish the facts.

Though the exact circumstances and date of Reem Abu Lebdeh’s death remain unclear, we believe she was killed along with members of her family at their home in Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Some members of her family remain unaccounted for. 

When the Israeli military campaign moved more extensively into Khan Younis over two months ago, we knew Reem was sheltering with her parents and siblings. Regrettably, contact with Reem was lost shortly thereafter and all attempts to regain it failed due to telecommunications networks being cut off.

Dr. Mahmoud Abu Nujaila was killed in a strike on Al-Awda Hospital in northern Gaza on November 21, along with MSF’s Dr. Ahmad Al Sahar and another doctor, Dr. Ziad Al-Tarari. Before his death, Dr. Abu Nujaila wrote a message on a whiteboard in the hospital normally used for planning surgeries: “Whoever stays until the end will tell the story. We did what we could. Remember us.”

Dr. Ahmad Al Sahar was killed in the November 21 strike on Al-Awda Hospital that also killed MSF’s Dr. Abu Nujaila and another doctor, Dr. Ziad Al-Tatari. Dr. Al Sahar and Dr. Abu Nujaila were working when the hospital’s third and fourth floors were hit. MSF has regularly shared information about Al-Awda, including making it clear to warring parties that it is a functioning hospital with medical staff.

Alaa Al Shawa was a volunteer nurse supporting MSF teams at Al-Shifa Hospital. He was killed during an attack on an MSF convoy on November 18 while it was en route to southern Gaza to reach a safer place. 

“We arrived at the clinic and started to try to give Alaa life support, trying to stop the bleeding from his head," said an anonymous MSF staff member present during the convoy attack. "We couldn't do anything. He died while we were trying to save his life.”

Mohammed Al Ahel was at his home in Al Shati refugee camp on November 6 when the area was bombed and his building collapsed, reportedly killing dozens of people, including Mohammed and several members of his family. He was a laboratory technician and had been working with MSF for two years.