Killing of Sidra Hassouna

Sidra Hassouna was a 7-year-old Palestinian girl from the northern Gaza Strip who, along with her family as well as over 75 others, were killed during a series of airstrikes in Rafah carried out by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on 12 February 2024. As a result of the attack, Hassouna, her twin sister, 15-month old brother, parents, grandparents and uncle were killed after the IDF bombed the building they had been sheltering in Rafah, where she had been forcibly displaced.

Her killing received major attention on social media, as an image began circulating showing her mutilated body. Both of her legs had been torn off by the airstrikes, leaving her lifeless body hanging from the higher point of a destroyed house. Hassouna and her family members were identified by Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian Ambassador to the United Kingdom, as her relative.

The attacks by the IDF occurred during an operation to free two hostages held by Hamas, held 1.7km away from where her family was killed. Israeli government sources linked the airstrikes to its hostage rescue operation, Operation Golden Hand, describing the airstrikes as a diversion or "covering fire."

Killing
On 12 February 2024, an airstrike assault was launched by the Israel Defense Forces on Rafah, a city in the southern Gaza Strip, where an estimated one million Palestinians, including Hassouna and her family, had been seeking refuge. Hassouna, along with her twin sister, 15-month old brother, parents, grandparents and uncle, who had been forcibly displaced from northern Gaza, were killed during the airstrikes when the building they had been sheltering in was bombed.

Hassouna's story gained international attention after a graphic image of Hassouna's mutilated body began to circulate on social media, including Instagram. As a result of the attacks, both of Hassouna's legs had been torn off by the airstrikes, which left her lifeless body hanging from a higher point of a destroyed house. Hassouna was identified by Husam Zomlot, the Palestine Ambassador to the United Kingdom, as the cousin of his wife. He made an additional post on Twitter, sharing an image of Hassouna as well as the image of her lifeless body, as well as images of additional relatives killed in the attack. Zomlot received condolences from MPs Zarah Sultana and Nadia Whittome as well as former shadow chancellor John McDonnell.

During the 2024 pro-Palestinian campus protests at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, high school protesters renamed Massachusetts Avenue in reference to Hassouna. On 10 May 2024, Harvard College protesters on Harvard Yard additionally renamed multiple dormitories, including Holworthy Hall to "Hassouna Hall", to honor killed Palestinian children and journalists.

Response

 * S.K. Ali: "The dancing with words. The talking in circles. The snide smiles, subtly and yet somehow proudly acknowledging the manipulation. Horrific, again. And again. How many more agains will there be?"
 * Zarah Sultana: “My deepest condolences to you and your family for your immeasurable loss, Husam. For Sidra, and the tens of thousands of Palestinians who have been killed, we will continue to fight for accountability and justice."
 * Richard Burgon: “Husam, my deepest condolences. I cannot begin to imagine the pain you and your family are going through....A ceasefire is so desperately needed to put an end to the killing and suffering and those responsible for this must be held to account.”
 * Jeremy Corbyn: “My dear Husam and family, I am shocked angry and appalled at your loss and the thousands more in this disgusting onslaught on the Palestinian people....You do so much good to represent Palestine despite the terrible pain of such loss.”
 * Owen Jones: "I am so so sorry. This is a crime of historic proportions and the pain imposed on you, your loved ones and the Palestinian people is beyond unforgivable"