Sham Shublaq
Sham was killed in an Israeli airstrike on 20 September 2025.
The fatal attack occurred during an Israeli bombardment on Gaza City that directly struck the premises of Oxfam’s partner organization, Juzoor for Health and Community Development, where her mother worked. The strike claimed the lives of Sham, her pregnant mother Tasneem, and her three-year-old brother Suleiman. Sham’s father was severely wounded. Her death reflects the broader pattern of civilian and humanitarian casualties during the war, in which homes, medical centers, and aid workers have repeatedly been targeted despite international calls for protection under humanitarian law.
Biography
Sham Shublaq, only five years old, was the beloved daughter of humanitarian worker and psychologist Tasneem Shublaq. Growing up in Gaza, Sham’s early years were overshadowed by repeated conflict, displacement, and the loss of her older brother Muslam in a previous airstrike. Despite the harsh realities of war, Sham was known within her family for her innocence and tender spirit, embodying hope for a future free from violence. Her young life was tragically cut short alongside her mother and younger brother, leaving behind a family devastated by unimaginable loss.
Born in Gaza in 2020, Sham was the eldest daughter of Tasneem and her husband. She spent her short life amid the uncertainty and destruction brought about by the ongoing war. Sham’s life reflected both the resilience and fragility of Gaza’s children, growing up in an environment where safety was never guaranteed. She had already endured the loss of her brother Muslam, killed in an airstrike in 2024, an event that profoundly shaped her family’s grief. On 20 September 2025, Sham was killed with her mother, Tasneem, and younger brother, Suleiman, when an Israeli airstrike hit their home in Gaza City. Her father survived but remains critically injured. Sham’s death is not only a personal tragedy but also a reminder of the devastating impact of war on Gaza’s youngest generation, who are robbed of their right to live, play, and dream.
Sources & References
Oxfam International has expressed deep sorrow over last week’s Israeli strike on its partner’s premises in Gaza that killed a 27-year-old pregnant aid worker and her two children, urging accountability for the killings of over 1,600 aid and healthcare workers since the genocidal war began. Tasneem, a psychologist at Oxfam’s partner organization, Juzoor for Health and Community Development, and her two children, Sham (5), and Suleiman (3), were in an Israeli airstrike on 20 September. “Tasneem was a courageous and devoted humanitarian. Despite constant danger, she served those in desperate need to the end. Her death, along with her children, is a heartbreaking tragedy,” said Dr. Umiayeh Khammash, Director of Juzoor. “This violence is destroying those who are trying to help. It is incomprehensible and it must end. Enough is enough,” Khammash added. At the time of her death, Tasneem was pregnant and had already lost her son, Muslam, in a previous attack last year. Her husband remains critically injured from1 presstv.ir Open source