A Gaza medic realizes he’s carrying his own mother’s body, killed by an Israeli airstrike

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza (AP) — A Palestinian ambulance worker made a horrific find erstwhile nan bloody expanse was lifted: The corpse connected nan stretcher was his ain mother, killed by an Israeli airstrike Wednesday successful cardinal Gaza.

“Oh God, I swear- she’s my mother! I didn’t cognize it was her!” Abed Bardini sobbed arsenic he leaned complete his mother, Samira, cradling her caput successful his arms. Fellow Red Crescent medics tried to console him.

Bardini had unknowingly sat successful nan ambulance beside her body, wrapped successful a achromatic expanse stained acheronian pinch blood, arsenic nan conveyance bounced crossed surgery roads for astir 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) toward Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital successful Deir al-Balah.

Three group were killed and astatine slightest 10 wounded by nan Israeli onslaught connected a car successful Maghazi exile camp, according to Palestinian wellness officials and Associated Press journalists. Health officials astatine nan infirmary said 2 of nan dormant were men sitting successful nan vehicle, and nan blast had fatally injured 61-year-old Samira Bardini arsenic she stood nearby.

Abed Bardini was successful 1 of 2 ambulances dispatched to nan scene. Back astatine nan hospital, he unloaded nan stretcher pinch practiced professionalism, squinting into nan precocious day sun arsenic he wheeled nan assemblage crossed nan infirmary courtyard.

Inside, aesculapian unit pulled backmost nan broad to cheque for signs of life, and Bardini’s spot collapsed.

Later, his tears exhausted, he sat successful nan morgue beside Samira’s assemblage pinch his caput successful his hands, comforted by his Red Crescent colleagues. They held a ceremonial dream complete her assemblage successful nan parking lot, past Bardini personally helped transportation nan assemblage into an ambulance for burial.

A spokesperson for nan Israeli subject did not instantly remark connected nan strike. Israel says it carries retired precise strikes successful Gaza targeting Palestinian militants and tries to debar harming civilians. But nan strikes often termination women and children.

Hamas-led militants killed immoderate 1,200 group and abducted astir 250 successful nan Oct. 7, 2023, onslaught connected Israel that triggered nan war. Israel’s retaliatory warfare successful Gaza has killed much than 43,000 Palestinians, according to section wellness authorities, who do not opportunity really galore were combatants but opportunity much than half were women and children. Gaza’s Health Ministry said Wednesday that 102 deaths were recorded complete nan past 24 hours.

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Associated Press writer Jack Jeffery successful Ramallah, West Bank contributed.