Hadi
Hadi was killed in an Israeli air strike.
On 10 October, an Israeli air strike targeted and destroyed the Mema family’s home in Jabaliya, northern Gaza. Hadi was inside with his parents and siblings when the house collapsed under the bombing. The attack killed him instantly, along with his mother Salam, his father, and his younger sister Sham. His younger brother Ali, aged five, was the only one to survive, left to carry the memory of his lost family.
Biography
Hadi, the seven-year-old son of Palestinian journalist Salam Mema, was a lively and affectionate child growing up in Jabaliya, northern Gaza. As the elder brother to Sham and Ali, he carried the joy and playfulness of childhood into his family’s daily life. His life was tragically cut short on 10 October, when an Israeli air strike struck his home, killing him alongside his parents, younger sister, and other relatives.
Born and raised in Gaza, Hadi was the cherished son of Salam Mema and her husband. He was known within the family as a caring older brother, protective of his younger siblings Sham and Ali. Like many children in Gaza, his childhood was shaped by both hardship and the warmth of close family bonds. Hadi’s days were filled with curiosity, play, and the small joys of growing up surrounded by love, despite the difficult environment. On 10 October, as he rested at home with his family, an Israeli air strike destroyed their house in Jabaliya. Hadi was killed instantly along with his parents and younger sister Sham. His five-year-old brother Ali miraculously survived, but the devastation left him without his older brother’s companionship and guidance. Hadi’s death reflects the painful reality of countless children in Gaza who lose their lives before they can truly experience the fullness of childhood.
Sources & References
Salam Mema, a 32-year-old Palestinian journalist, was killed on 10 October when her house in Jabaliya, in northern Gaza, was hit by an Israeli air strike, her friend told the BBC. Her husband, their two-year-old daughter Sham, their seven-year-old son Hadi, and other members of the family, were also killed, leaving their five-year-old son Ali as the sole survivor. As of 31 October, Salam was one of 31 journalists confirmed killed on both sides, since the Israel-Hamas conflict began.1 bbc.com Open source