Four children lost in Israeli attack

Turkish service photojournalist lost four out of his five children in an Israeli bombing in the Gaza Strip. The small bodies of Qais, Ahmad, Rahaf, and Kenaan were pulled from the rubble. "The whole world stands behind Israel," says the grieving father.

This attack on the Maghazi refugee camp in the Gaza Strip took place as Israel declared its continuation of offense against Hamas despite international calls for a ceasefire. The bombing resulted in dozens of civilian fatalities, including the four children of Mohammed Alaloula, a Palestinian photojournalist who works for a Turkish service. His three brothers and three nieces were also among the victims.

The Swedish "Expressen" interviewed Alaloula, who had buried his sons Qais, Ahmad, Kenaan, and his daughter Rahaf two weeks prior. "It was a nightmare," says the photojournalist, who, on that fateful day, was capturing the scenes of refugees being forced to abandon their homes in northern Gaza. At one point, he received word that his district had been bombed and arrived home, only to discover his own children’s bodies amid the debris. The Israeli raid only spared the lives of his infant son, Adam, and his wife, Amnah, who were critically injured and rushed to the hospital.

"I could never have imagined that my house would become a target. The entire district is populated by civilians, including many UN employees," he says.

The photojournalist recounted to the Swedish newspaper how he had also been injured in an Israeli attack two years ago, an event that left his children perpetually concerned for his wellbeing and urging him to switch occupations.

"What crime did my children commit?" asked the distraught father, adding with a hope that "the world will stand with civilians who perish in attacks", and criticizing the global support Israel apparently receives. The "Expressen" underscored in its report that Tel Aviv restricts independent journalists from entering Gaza, with exceptions only given to CNN and BBC stations.

"Local journalists are one of the most significant sources of information in the Gaza Strip. About 50 of them have died in the past six weeks," note the Swedes. Mohammed confides that civilians are apprehensive about speaking to journalists out of fear of becoming targets themselves.