Belgian agency aid worker killed in Gaza - minister

An aid worker who was part of Belgium’s development aid efforts and his seven-year-old son were killed in an Israeli strike on Gaza, the country’s Development Minister, Caroline Gennez, said today according to Reuters.

“It is with deep sadness and horror that we learn of the death of our colleague Abdallah Nabhan (33) and his seven-year-old son Jamal, last night, following a bombardment by the Israeli army in the eastern part of the city of Rafah,” the minister said in a statement.

Nabhan, worked for the Enabel agency, assisting small businesses.

The statement said at least seven people were killed by the strike on a building that housed about 25 people, including displaced people from other parts of the Gaza Strip who were forced from their homes by Israel’s brutal bombing campaign on the enclave.

Read: Israel’s war on aid workers in Gaza

“The indiscriminate bombing of civilian infrastructure and innocent civilians goes against every international and humanitarian law and the rules of war,” Gennez said.

In a statement on its website, Enabel expressed “deep sorrow and horror” at the news and said: “Abdallah’s wife is in critical condition in hospital, fighting for her life. The couple’s two other children (aged 5 years and 7 months) sustained minor injuries. Abdallah’s 65-year-old father, his 35-year-old brother and his six-year-old niece also lost their lives.”

It is with deep sorrow and horror that we learn of the death of our colleague Abdallah Nabhan (33) and his 7-year-old son Jamal last night after an Israeli airstrike in the eastern part of the city of Rafah. RIP, Abdullah💔@Enabel_Belgium https://t.co/xXeXw3BVi9

— Enabel in Palestine (@EnabelPalestine) April 25, 2024

“Like all other Enabel employees in Gaza, Abdallah was on the list of people eligible to leave Gaza, which was delivered to Israeli authorities months ago. Unfortunately, Abdallah died before he and his family were granted permission to leave Gaza safely. There are currently seven Enabel staff still in Gaza.”