In a heartbreaking incident, Asmaa Al-Wasifi mourns the loss of her 10-year-old son, Yamen, who was killed in an Israeli strike before he could receive his second polio vaccination. The tragedy occurred on September 24 when Israeli forces targeted their family home in the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, resulting in the deaths of Yamen and four of his cousins, the eldest of whom was just 10 years old.
Asmaa, holding her son’s teddy bear, expressed her grief, stating, “The time for the second vaccine was here, but the (Israeli) occupation did not let them live to continue their lives and their childhood.” As she sorted through Yamen’s clothes and schoolbooks, her sorrow was palpable.
The United Nations had recently initiated the second round of its polio vaccination campaign in central Gaza, but many residents believe the effort is futile amid the ongoing conflict with Hamas. The campaign follows a worrying resurgence of polio in the region, including a case in August that left a baby partially paralyzed—the first such incident in 25 years.
Yamen’s grandmother, Zakeya, who lost at least ten family members in the attack, called for an end to the devastating war that has affected Gaza’s 2.3 million residents. “We don’t want any drinks or any aid. We want them to give us safety and security — for the war to end,” she pleaded.
Osama Al-Wasifi, Yamen’s father, shared the horror of that fateful day, revealing that his wife’s body was unrecognizable after the strike, which also claimed the lives of their four children. “They were happy like butterflies… Ten minutes later, the targeting happened. I found them all in pieces,” he recalled, capturing the innocence lost in an instant.
The ongoing conflict continues to impede efforts for a ceasefire, with Israel and Hamas struggling to reach an agreement on crucial demands. As the situation remains dire, the community grapples with profound loss and longing for peace.
