Ni’ma Saleh ‘Ayyash
Ni’ma Saleh Salama ‘Ayyash was killed by an Israeli airstrike on May 13, 2021.
On May 13, Israeli warplanes carried out dozens of strikes across Gaza, deliberately targeting civilian neighborhoods and infrastructure. One of these strikes claimed Ni’ma’s life. The missile attacks leveled homes and tore through populated areas, leaving her no chance of survival. Like many women killed that day, Ni’ma was not engaged in any form of combat—she was an unarmed civilian in her village when the bombardment struck. Her killing underscored the indiscriminate nature of the strikes, which turned entire neighborhoods into sites of mourning.
Biography
Ni’ma Saleh Salama ‘Ayyash, 47, was a resident of Um an-Nasser village in northern Gaza. She was among the many civilians who lost their lives during the devastating Israeli bombardments of May 2021. On May 13, she was killed as part of a wave of relentless airstrikes that struck homes, apartment towers, and refugee camps across Gaza without warning. Ni’ma’s death reflected the tragic toll borne by women and families who sought only safety in their homes but instead faced sudden destruction.
Born and raised in the Gaza Strip, Ni’ma Saleh Salama ‘Ayyash spent her life in Um an-Nasser, a small village north of Beit Lahia, known for its poverty and displacement. Like many women of her generation, she played a central role in her household and community, balancing family responsibilities with the daily struggles of life under siege. Friends and relatives described her as a kind, strong woman who always put the well-being of her family first.
On May 13, 2021, during the fourth day of Israel’s 11-day assault on Gaza, Ni’ma was killed in one of the many airstrikes targeting civilian areas. That day alone, 36 Palestinians were killed, including women and children, while homes were reduced to rubble and entire families erased. Ni’ma’s life was cut short in her own community, highlighting the indiscriminate impact of the bombardments on Gaza’s most vulnerable. Her death, along with dozens of others, deepened the grief of a society already reeling from loss and destruction.
Additional Information
Sources & References
Ni’ma Saleh Salama ‘Ayyash, 47, was one of 36 Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza on May 13th. The all-night-long bombardment of the Gaza Strip targeted homes, apartment towers, and infrastructure, killing 36 Palestinians, and injuring hundreds, in addition to turning many homes and buildings into rubble. Among those killed in the overnight airstrikes were two entire families who were bombed while in their homes. Rafat Mohammad at-Tanani, 39, his pregnant wife and four young children, were in their home in Beit Hanoun town when the Israeli army bombed the area without any warning. The entire residential square was destroyed, including the family’s home. Ra’fat Tanani, 39, his pregnant wife Rawiye, 35, and their children Ismail, 6, Ameer, 5, Adham, 4, and Mohammad, 3, were all killed. The same night that the Tanani family was killed in the north of Gaza Strip coincided with killing another family in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis.1 israelpalestinetimeline.org Open source