As the death toll in Gaza exceeds 40,000 since October 7, one father is grieving the loss of his newborn twins, wife, and mother-in-law. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than one-third of those killed—over 16,000—were children, though the real number is believed to be higher due to many bodies still trapped under rubble.
Mohammed Abu al-Qumsan lost his twin babies, Asser and Ayssel, along with their mother, Dr. Jumann Arfa, and his mother-in-law, during an Israeli airstrike on Deir al-Balah. Mohammed had left the house to retrieve birth certificates for his children when the attack occurred.
“I went to get the birth certificates,” Mohammed said. “I got a call saying the house we were staying in had been bombed. My wife, my two babies, and my mother-in-law are gone.”
This tragedy comes as talks for a ceasefire and hostage release continue in Doha. Many in Gaza are facing dire health emergencies, with the true scale of casualties yet to be fully known.
