After Israel killed her three sons, she found hope in a newborn. Then he was killed too
GCC News
In a small room beside an open window, 15-month-old Zaid Nofal slept without a blanket, unable to escape Gaza’s sweltering summer heat.
At 3am, an Israeli air strike hit his family’s home in al-Bureij refugee camp, burying his small body beneath the rubble.
A few metres away, his 38-year-old Palestinian mother, Fatima Nofal, stood in shock.
Regional Impact
Covered in blood and dust as neighbours screamed around her, she faced a tragedy she had endured before: Zaid was the fourth son she had lost to Israeli attacks after three of his brothers were killed in 2023.
Neighbours rushed to the family’s home, which had already been partially destroyed, before it was rebuilt following the October 2025 ceasefire announcement.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Market & Policy
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
“I still haven’t processed what happened. I remain in a state of profound shock,” Nofal told Middle East Eye.
“All I remember is waking up just minutes before the strike. I moved to another spot because of the severe heat, leaving my little Zaid by the window so the breeze could help him sleep.”
Stay informed with the latest news on Wararka.so — your trusted source for Somalia and world news.
