Yaqeen Hammad, widely recognized as Gaza’s youngest media activist and humanitarian volunteer, was killed in an Israeli airstrike that struck her family home in the Al-Baraka neighborhood of Deir al-Balah, located in central Gaza.
Raised amid blockade, bombardment, and ongoing trauma, 11-year-old Yaqeen Hammad regularly joined her older brother, humanitarian worker Mohamed Hammad, in delivering aid to displaced families. She distributed food, clothing, and toys, embodying courage and resilience in the face of the Israeli assault on Gaza.
Yaqeen Hammad was an active member of the Ouena Collective, a Gaza-based nonprofit organization dedicated to humanitarian relief and mutual aid initiatives across the Gaza Strip.
Through her social media presence, she worked to shed light on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, documenting her efforts in community support—ranging from distributing aid and preparing meals amid severe shortages to offering other forms of assistance to those in need.
Yaqeen Hammad’s social media presence resonated with tens of thousands, as she used her videos to chronicle both her humanitarian work and unwavering resilience.
Some clips showcased donation drives for orphans and displaced families, while others captured heartwarming scenes of her laughing, playing, and distributing gifts to children. Her videos also offered poignant glimpses into the daily struggles of life under Israeli bombardment, reflecting both the harsh reality and her steadfast spirit.
Yaqeen Hammad’s Instagram account stands as a poignant digital archive of her life, activism, and humanitarian work. Through her platform, the 11-year-old played a vital role in amplifying the voices of Gaza’s youth and drawing global attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the besieged enclave.
Yaqeen became a powerful symbol of the resilience of Gaza’s children—those who, even amid relentless violence, refused to be silenced or broken. In one of her final posts, she appeared alongside friends and wrote: “We still hold firmly to the Quran and to education despite the famine, the siege, and the ongoing genocide — with empty stomachs and faithful hearts.”
Her death in an Israeli airstrike sparked an outpouring of grief and condemnation from activists, journalists, and social media users around the world, many of whom hailed her courage and mourned the loss of a young life dedicated to helping others. Her brother, Mahmoud Hammad, wrote: “Yaqeen, the world champion. My sister, my soul, was martyred.”
The attack that killed Yaqeen was part of a broader escalation. Since early Friday, Israeli strikes have killed at least 76 people across the Gaza Strip, with casualties continuing to rise. Among the dead is journalist Bilal al-Hatoum, who was killed in a strike on the Al-Saftawi area.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 53,822 Palestinians have been killed and 122,382 wounded since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza. The Government Media Office has placed the death toll at more than 61,700, noting that thousands remain missing under the rubble and are presumed dead.
