Amal Abu Al-Khair
She burned to death in a fire that engulfed the family’s tent while a meal was being prepared. She was among hundreds of thousands of Palestinians forcibly displaced due to the destruction of homes and unsafe living conditions created by the war in Gaza. The displacement is widely attributed to Israel’s military campaign and siege on Gaza,
Amal Abu al-Khair died after sustaining fatal burn injuries when a fire broke out inside her family’s nylon tent at the Yarmouk displacement camp in Gaza City on Thursday night. The fire started while her son, Muhammad, was cooking dinner, when hot cooking oil ignited inside the confined tent that served as both a living and cooking space. The presence of highly flammable materials, including plastic utensils and nylon fabric, caused the flames to spread rapidly. Strong winter winds further intensified the blaze, making it impossible to control. Amal Abu al-Khair attempted to extinguish the fire but was unsuccessful, and the tent was quickly engulfed, leading to her death and that of her five-year-old grandson. The incident occurred amid harsh winter conditions and unsafe shelter arrangements faced by displaced families in Gaza.
Biography
Amal Abu Al-Khair was a Palestinian grandmother displaced by ongoing conflict in Gaza. She and her family were living in a makeshift nylon tent at the Yarmouk displacement camp in the Gaza Strip — part of a large population forced from their homes due to the war.
Amal Abu al-Khair was a Palestinian grandmother living in forced displacement in the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis following Israel’s war on Gaza. By early 2026, she was among hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians surviving winter conditions in makeshift nylon tents due to the destruction of homes and the lack of adequate shelter materials.
She lived with her family at the Yarmouk displacement camp in Gaza City, where tents served simultaneously as living spaces, kitchens, and sleeping areas. These camps were repeatedly affected by heavy winter rain, flooding, strong winds, and unsafe environmental conditions, including proximity to garbage dumps.
Pleas of Surviving Relatives and Family if any
Mona Abu al-Khair, a relative, emphasized that:
The tent was used for both living and cooking
Flammable materials were unavoidable due to poverty and lack of alternatives
Confined space and Muhammad’s poor eyesight prevented the fire from being controlled
Ashraf al-Suwair, a neighbour, stated:
“The nylon is like fuel, easy to ignite. We need a good place that suits the people and the children of Gaza, instead of burning to death.”
Additional Information
She burned to death in a fire that engulfed the family’s tent while a meal was being prepared. She was among hundreds of thousands of Palestinians forcibly displaced due to the destruction of homes and unsafe living conditions created by the war in Gaza. The displacement is widely attributed to Israel’s military campaign and siege on Gaza,
Sources & References
Grandmother and grandson burn to death in Gaza tent while cooking1 apnews.com Open source
A displaced grandmother and her grandson burn to death in Gaza tent fire2 africanews.com Open source
Grandmother, grandson burn alive in Gaza tent as Israeli aid blockade drags on3 trtworld.com Open source