A heart-wrenching tragedy recently struck Gaza, leaving a father, Mohammed Abu Al-Qumsan, inconsolable. Mohammed had gone to a local government office to obtain birth certificates for his newborn twins, Asser and Aysel, who were just four days old. However, while he was away, an airstrike hit his home in Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza, killing his wife, his twin babies, and their grandmother.

The devastating news reached Mohammed while he was still at the government office, holding the birth certificates he had just collected for his children. Videos shared online capture the heartbroken father weeping uncontrollably, unable to process the loss of his entire family in such a short time. “I don’t know what happened,” he said, still in shock. “I am told it was a shell that hit the house. I didn’t even have the time to celebrate them.”

This tragedy is one of many in the ongoing conflict that erupted on October 7th, following a deadly attack on Israel by Hamas-led gunmen. The attack resulted in the deaths of 1,200 Israelis and triggered a massive military response from Israel. Since then, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry reports that over 39,790 Palestinians have been killed, including 115 infants.

The conflict has caused immense suffering on both sides, with countless families torn apart. Mohammed’s story is a heartbreaking reminder of the human cost of war, where innocent lives are lost, and families are destroyed in the blink of an eye.

As the conflict continues, the stories of those like Mohammed Abu Al-Qumsan serve as a powerful plea for peace and an end to the violence that has claimed so many lives.