"Only Survivor": Gaza Child Left Alone After Family Killed In Israeli Attacks

A video of a child being carried by his neighbour in the aftermath of Israeli airstrikes in Northern Gaza shows the extent of the mental and physical toll the war has taken on Palestinians. The boy, Mohammad, whose family was killed in overnight airstrikes, is the sole surviving member. His neighbour carried him in arms while people in the Beit Hanoun fled the area to escape Israeli airstrikes and bombs, CNN reported.

In a video dated November 12, the neighbour carrying the kid described the events of the previous night. “This child is the only survivor from all his family members who were killed overnight,” the man said, visibly distressed. “He is all burnt, he is the only survivor.”

The neighbour recounted how Israeli forces launched the attacks in the area, forcing families to flee under intense bombardment. “All of a sudden, they entered our houses, under heavy fire and explosives,” the man added. “This child is the only one alive.”

The child was rescued amid widespread displacement in the area. According to Gaza's civil defence, at least 15 people were killed in the Israeli airstrikes in Beit Hanoun. Hundreds of families are now fleeing the city, as Israeli forces continue their onslaught, pushing civilians out of their homes, reported CNN.

With their belongings packed into whatever they could carry — from bicycles to wheelchairs — families were seen evacuating under duress. “Yesterday, they brought us flour, and this morning, we were forced to be displaced. We didn't sleep the night from Israeli strikes. They struck houses next to us, surrounded us, raided our homes under gunfire, and forced us out,” one displaced woman said.

This forced evacuation comes after the first humanitarian aid truck reached Beit Hanoun in over a month, bringing food and supplies to the population. The World Food Programme, which delivered the aid, said the situation had rapidly deteriorated, with families being pressured to flee under the threat of further military action.

The Israeli military confirmed that its troops had moved into Beit Hanoun, where humanitarian aid had recently been distributed.

Al Jazeera reported that Palestinians in northern Gaza, including those sheltering in camps and makeshift shelters, have been forced to flee as Israeli airstrikes and ground operations intensify.

In over a year of Israeli bombardment and airstrikes in Gaza, over 43,000 people have been killed, and almost the entire population of the narrow strip -- already cut off from the wider world -- has been displaced. Israel's relentless bombing started after the October 7 Hamas attack in which 1200 people were killed.