In December of last year, a disturbing video surfaced on social media showing the Abu Salah family dead on a street in Northern Gaza. The video, which is graphic in nature, depicted two brothers and their mother huddled together, while two other brothers lay on the ground nearby. Their father’s hand was next to a white flag. This scene was rare in Gaza, where civilian casualties are often caused by bombs or rockets from a distance. However, in this case, it was Israeli troops who were responsible for the deaths of the Abu Salah family.
The family had been displaced from their home in Northern Gaza due to the ongoing conflict with Israel. They were living in a school nearby when they were killed. One of the family members, Hanady, survived and shared details about her family and their tragic end. The family had been involved in helping clean up the damage at a nearby hospital that had been targeted in previous IDF operations.
The morning of the killings, Hanady’s nephew ventured outside and was shot by Israeli soldiers who were now in control of the hospital. The family was on their way back from burying him when they were also shot. The IDF’s claim that militants were in the area disguised as civilians did not address the death of Hanady’s nephew.
The video footage and satellite imagery provided evidence that Israeli soldiers were in the area at the time of the killings. The family members were seen coming and going with a stretcher several times before they were shot. The forensic analysis of the bodies suggested that they were killed shortly before the video was filmed.
Overall, the story of the Abu Salah family sheds light on the human cost of the conflict in Gaza and raises questions about the conduct of Israeli troops in the region.