A Palestinian paramedic, Ibrahim Saqer, was killed on Wednesday when an Israeli airstrike struck a gathering of displaced civilians in the al‑Tuwam area, northwest of Gaza. The strike also wounded several Palestinians who had been sheltering in makeshift tents after fleeing earlier bombardments.
Medical teams said Saqer was performing his duties when the missile hit, and colleagues were unable to reach him immediately due to continued shelling and the collapse of surrounding structures.
The killing of paramedic Ibrahim Saqr adds to the growing number of medical workers killed in the line of duty.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza reported that hospitals received five Palestinians killed in the past 24 hours, including one recovered from under the rubble, in addition to seven wounded.
The Ministry stressed that the real toll is higher, as many victims remain trapped beneath destroyed buildings or in areas inaccessible to ambulances and civil defense crews. Emergency workers say they are unable to reach large parts of northern Gaza due to destroyed roads, ongoing bombardment, and the lack of fuel for rescue vehicles.
UNRWA and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) have repeatedly warned that paramedics, civil defense teams, and humanitarian workers in Gaza are operating under what OCHA described as “near‑total collapse of emergency response capacity.”
UNRWA’s latest situation update noted that dozens of its staff have been killed while attempting to assist displaced families, and that shelters remain overcrowded, under‑supplied, and repeatedly struck.
Since the declared “ceasefire” on October 11, 2025, the Ministry of Health has documented 823 Palestinians killed and 2,308 wounded, including 763 bodies recovered from under the rubble.
Humanitarian agencies emphasize that these figures represent only those who reached medical facilities, while many areas remain cut off by military operations.
The cumulative toll since the beginning of the genocide in Gaza on October 7, 2023, has risen to 72,599 Palestinians killed and 172,411 wounded.
A young man breaks down in shock and grief after learning that his beloved brother has been killed by israelis in Gaza | via @gazanotice pic.twitter.com/PjDx49feow
— Sarah Wilkinson (@swilkinsonbc) April 28, 2026
OCHA reports that the scale of destruction is “unprecedented in the modern history of the Gaza Strip,” with entire neighborhoods flattened and essential infrastructure—including hospitals, water networks, and sewage systems—rendered inoperable.
The World Health Organization has documented hundreds of attacks on medical facilities, ambulances, and health personnel, warning that Gaza’s health system has been “systematically dismantled.”
Humanitarian organizations say the continued targeting of areas sheltering displaced families, combined with the inability of rescue teams to reach victims, means the death toll is expected to rise as bombardment continues across northern and central Gaza.
