Gaza Journalist Killed Hours After Welcoming Newborn Daughter Amid Ongoing War

For Amal Sobeih, the day her daughter Sana was born should have been remembered as one of the happiest moments of her life. Instead, it became the day her family was shattered forever. On May 7, 2025, only hours after celebrating the birth of his newborn daughter, Palestinian journalist Yahya Sobeih was killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza City.

According to family members, Yahya had spent the early hours of the morning beside his wife at the hospital as she underwent an emergency caesarean section. Despite the ongoing conflict and constant air strikes across Gaza, the family tried to hold on to a rare moment of joy while welcoming their third child and first daughter.
 

Amal recalled that Yahya was overwhelmed with happiness after seeing his baby girl for the first time. He reportedly held the newborn in his arms, whispered prayers into her ears, took photos and shared the joyful moment with relatives who gathered at the hospital. Before leaving, he told his wife he would briefly return home to check on their two young sons and bring supplies for the baby.
 

That promise would remain unfulfilled.

Later that same day, Yahya was killed in an Israeli strike targeting a commercial area in central Gaza City. Reports said at least 17 people were killed and dozens injured in the attack. According to Amal, Yahya had been distributing sweets among relatives and friends to celebrate his daughter’s birth when the strike occurred. Several people close to him, including relatives and friends who had visited the hospital earlier, were also killed.

Relatives initially struggled to inform Amal about the tragedy due to her fragile physical and emotional condition after surgery. However, she became suspicious after noticing unusual behaviour among family members and hospital staff. After repeatedly calling her husband without any response, she eventually discovered the news online.

The loss left Amal devastated. She later described the moment as unimaginable, saying she could not believe that the same day her daughter entered the world was also the day her husband died.

 

Over the past year, Amal has faced enormous hardship while raising her three children alone amid continuing conflict and displacement in Gaza. She said the family was later forced to move to southern Gaza after intensified military operations in the area. Living conditions became increasingly difficult as she struggled to care for a newborn baby and two young sons who constantly asked about their father.

 

Despite the grief, Amal decided to continue her husband’s work in journalism by joining the same media organisation where he had worked. She says the decision was partly motivated by a desire to preserve his legacy and remain strong for her children during an uncertain future.

 

Now, as little Sana marks her first birthday, the family continues to live with the painful memory attached to the date. Amal says she was unsure whether to celebrate the occasion at all, but ultimately chose to organise a small gathering for her children.

 

She believes her daughter, who never truly knew her father, still carries traces of him in her smile and expressions. For Amal, every glance at Sana is both a painful reminder of loss and a symbol of hope amid the devastation surrounding their lives in Gaza.