In one of the most heart-wrenching accounts to emerge from the Gaza conflict, a senior hospital director has described the moment he learned his entire family had been wiped out by an Israeli airstrike while he was working just miles away.
Yahya Shorbasi, who runs the Al-Hadaf hospital in northern Gaza, received the catastrophic news that his wife, two sons and two daughters had been killed when their home was struck during what he described as intense bombardment of the Tel al-Hawa neighbourhood.
'The Bomb That Destroyed Everything'
"I saw the bomb that killed my children with my own eyes," Mr Shorbasi told The Independent, his voice heavy with grief. "I was at the hospital when the bombing started in our area. I saw the smoke rising from exactly where my house is located."
The medical professional immediately rushed toward the scene, his medical instincts kicking in even as he feared the worst. What he discovered would haunt any parent - the complete destruction of his family home and the loss of everyone he held most dear.
A Medical Worker's Impossible Choice
Mr Shorbasi's tragedy highlights the impossible position facing Gaza's healthcare workers, who must choose between their professional duties to save lives and protecting their own families.
"I was at the hospital trying to save lives while my own children were being killed," he said, articulating the cruel dilemma that has become reality for many medical professionals in the embattled territory.
The Growing Civilian Toll
The incident comes as:
- Casualty figures continue to rise dramatically across Gaza
- Multiple hospitals report being overwhelmed with casualties
- International organisations express growing concern about civilian protection
- Calls for humanitarian pauses grow louder
Mr Shorbasi's personal catastrophe represents countless similar stories emerging from Gaza, where entire families have been lost in single strikes and the line between combatant and civilian has become increasingly blurred.
As the director now mourns his unimaginable loss, his hospital continues to operate under extreme duress, dealing with the relentless influx of casualties while medical supplies dwindle and staff face exhaustion.
