Tonight we were targeted by the Israeli occupation forces. After receiving news of a nearby bombing, I drove my car to offer assistance. When I arrived at the house full of terrified people, I heard their desperate screams from the second floor asking for help. The moment I entered, the house was bombed again, and the remains of the wounded were scattered around me. The rubble fell on me and my colleagues; one of the civil defense crews was killed, and while my colleague (photographer Mohammed Muhanna) and I were injured, many others did not survive.

Moments before midnight, Israeli airstrikes targeted a house belonging to the Ghabboun family, opposite Al-Sultan Bakery in Sabra neighbourhood, southwest of Gaza City.

About 20 minutes later, when journalists and Civil Defense crews arrived on the scene, the house was bombed again, killing Civil Defense member Ali Omar and injuring journalist Hossam Shabat.

Chain of events

• Civil Defense crews headed on a rescue mission to the Ghabboun family house and managed to rescue at least five children.
• The crews transferred the children to Al-Ahli Hospital.
• The crews went back to the home to rescue more victims, including one woman whose foot was stuck in the rubble.
• Israeli drones struck the house again, leading to the killing of rescue worker Ali Omar and the injury of three other civil defense crews and of journalist Hossam Shabat.

Testimonies

One of three injured Civil Defense crews recounted how Ali Omar was killed. He stated that the stairs were collapsed in the 7-story building where they were carrying out their rescue mission, and the crews had mounted a ladder between the sixth and seventh floors that Ali used to try and pull out a woman stuck in the rubble. Suddenly there was an explosion, and Ali was flung from the 7th to the ground floor.

In the same video, another crew member reported that it was Israeli drones that bombed the house a second time.

Quds Feed correspondent Ashraf Hajjaj documented the aftermath of the massacre and stated that Israeli forces launched one bomb on the house, then followed-up with two others by drone, this is consistent with testimonies by Civil Defense members who were present. He added that the Ministry of Health confirmed the killing of a woman and two of her sons.

Civil Defense spokesman Maj. Mahmoud Saber Basal stated that Ali was probably one of the best members of the crew at rescuing children, and he had rescued five from the Ghabboun family house before he was murdered.

Journalist Hossam Shabat recounted that he was injured by rubble falling from the roof following a second strike.

Names of the martyrs (identified)

1. Ali Mohammad Mustafa Omar (Civil Defense)

Photos

Martyred Civil Defense member Ali Omar

Journalist Hossam Shabat leaning on the walls of the house to document the event