At least 53 people, including a Doctors Without Borders MSF medic, were killed in Israeli air strikes across Gaza on Thursday.
Omar Al Hayek, 42, was among the victims. He had been waiting for a bus to transport medical staff to a healthcare centre when the group was targeted.
“We just lost one of our colleagues and four others of our colleagues were injured in an air strike,” Claire Magone, General Director of MSF France, told The National.
"Our teams were just waiting for the MSF bus to take them to the hospital," she said. "They were hit while waiting in what should have been a safe space.
“That's the daily reality of Gaza today.”
MSF has condemned the strikes, calling for an immediate ceasefire and an end to what it describes as a "genocide" against Palestinians.
"Nowhere in Gaza is safe," the organisation said in a statement, urging the international community to intervene. "The entire population has been starved and besieged for almost two years. It is time for the bloodshed to stop."
"Every loss of a medical worker is a tragedy for their families, colleagues, and the people they will never be able to help," World Health Organisation director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X.
"The attacks on health MUST STOP. Ceasefire!" he added.
Al Hayek’s killing follows the death of another colleague, Hussein Alnajjar, just two weeks ago. Mr Al Hayek had been working in Gaza since June 2018, providing life-saving care to thousands.
"We express deep sorrow and outrage over the killing, which occurs less than two weeks after another MSF colleague, Hussein Alnajjar, was killed by the Israeli forces in Deir Al Balah," MSF said in a statement.
"Our thoughts are with Omar’s family and colleagues at this tragic time. Omar, 42 years old, is the 14th MSF colleague to be killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023.
“He was a quiet man of profound kindness and utter professionalism,” Magone said, adding that Al Hayek was the sole provider for his family. “This is the daily reality of Gaza today – where healthcare workers, even those in clearly marked uniforms, are not safe.”
The attack on the MSF staff occurred amid continuing Israeli air strikes that also claimed the lives of Palestinian civilians. According to medical sources, at least 13 bodies were brought to Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, with others transported to different medical facilities throughout Gaza. Among the dead was a child killed in an Israeli drone strike in the Al Rimal neighbourhood of Gaza city, according to Palestinian news agency Wafa.
In southern Gaza, a drone strike on a tent in Al Mawasi injured eight people. Despite promises of safety, those displaced by the violence are not immune from attack, as the entire city remains under siege. Health workers, many of whom have been injured or killed, are caught in the crossfire of the continuing conflict.
The Health Ministry in Gaza says more than 66,200 Palestinians have been killed. The scale of destruction is immense, and medical personnel on the front lines have become primary targets.
Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019
Zombieland: Double Tap
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Stars: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone
Four out of five stars
The biog
Date of birth: 27 May, 1995
Place of birth: Dubai, UAE
Status: Single
School: Al Ittihad private school in Al Mamzar
University: University of Sharjah
Degree: Renewable and Sustainable Energy
Hobby: I enjoy travelling a lot, not just for fun, but I like to cross things off my bucket list and the map and do something there like a 'green project'.
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
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Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
Winners
Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)
Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)
Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)
Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)
Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)
Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)
