In a heart-wrenching turn of events in war-torn Gaza, a baby girl, born prematurely after an Israeli airstrike fatally wounded her mother, has succumbed to her fragile start in life. The baby, Sabreen Erooh, passed away in a beleaguered Gaza hospital, just five days after an emergency delivery was necessitated by her mother’s death. Her mother, Sabreen al-Sakani, was six months pregnant and perished alongside her husband, Shoukri, and their three-year-old daughter, Malak, during a devastating airstrike on their home in Rafah.
This incident, which resulted in the loss of at least 22 lives—mostly children—during a series of strikes, has underscored the severe toll that the conflict continues to exact on civilians.
The images of the infant, swaddled and struggling for life, fueled international outrage and highlighted the dire consequences of the ongoing hostilities on the most vulnerable.
Baby Sabreen’s brief fight for survival and the subsequent death magnify the profound impact of the conflict on individual families, leaving communities shattered and without hope.
Rami al-Sheikh, Sabreen’s uncle who had stepped forward to care for her, expressed his grief at the grave loss of his entire family, now “completely wiped out,” leaving no trace behind.
The United Nations Human Rights chief has voiced concern over the heavy price paid by children in particular, emphasizing that such casualties are not just numbers but a glaring indication that even the laws of war do not shield the innocent from such conflicts’ profound impacts.
Sabreen, named after her mother by her grieving aunt, represents a poignant reminder of the ongoing human tragedy unfolding daily in Gaza.
