Ten-year-old Adam al-Najjar is the only surviving child of his family after an Israeli airstrike destroyed their home in Khan Yunis, Gaza.
The attack on May 23 killed his father and nine siblings. His mother, Dr Alaa al-Najjar, a paediatrician, had left for work at the hospital moments before the bombing took place.
Adam suffered serious injuries, including multiple fractures, severe burns, and the loss of one hand.
His father, Dr Hamdi al-Najjar, was also injured in the blast but later died from his wounds. The family had been sheltering in their home, thinking it would keep them safe.
Family Flees for Safety and Hope Amid Devastation
Adam and his mother are being flown to Milan, Italy, for urgent medical treatment. Italy’s Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, confirmed the news and said Adam would be treated at Niguarda Hospital.
“Adam will be admitted to Niguarda Hospital in Milan for treatment of multiple fractures,” he said in a radio interview. The plane carrying the family is expected to land at Linate Airport around 7:30pm local time on Wednesday.
They were ten, now one. Dr. Alaa Al-Najjar: I have 10 children, only one survived, and that is Adam. pic.twitter.com/XyqmS99fLj
— Emelia (@vikingwarior20) May 24, 2025
Travelling with Adam and his mother are his aunt and four cousins. The Italian government arranged the transport as part of its medical support programme for Palestinian civilians in urgent need of care.
Adam’s mother took only a few items with her: her son’s clothes, their IDs, and a copy of the Quran. “My heart is broken,” she said. “I’m leaving behind my husband, my children, my job, my patients, my home. People are dying of hunger, or bombs. We just want to live in peace.”
A Child’s Dream of Peace and Healing
Dr al-Najjar told Italian newspaper La Repubblica that she found the bodies of her children charred and unrecognisable. “I remember everything… every scream, every moment,” she said. “But I try to focus entirely on Adam now—it’s the only way to cope.”
When she asked Adam about his dreams, he gave a heartbreaking answer. “I want to live in a beautiful place. A place where there are no bombs, where houses aren’t broken, and children go to school and play,” he said. “A beautiful place is where they can fix my arm and my mother isn’t sad. They told me Italy is a beautiful place.”
Adam’s story is one of many that show the deep suffering in Gaza. Over 54,981 people have died in Gaza since the war began, most of them civilians, according to figures shared by the health ministry. The war started after the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,219 Israelis.
For Adam and his mother, this journey to Italy offers a small chance of healing after a devastating loss. It is also a reminder of how much the people of Gaza continue to suffer each day.
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