Yaqeen Hammad, known as Gaza’s youngest media activist and humanitarian volunteer, was killed in an Israeli airstrike that targeted her family in the Al-Baraka area of Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip.
Growing up under blockade, bombardment, and trauma, eleven-year-old Yaqeen often accompanied her older brother, humanitarian worker Mohamed Hammad, delivering aid to displaced families; she handed out food, clothes, and toys, showing courage and resilience amid Israeli genocide.
Yaqeen Hammad was closely associated with Ouena Collective, a Gaza-based nonprofit organisation providing humanitarian aid and supporting mutual aid projects in the Gaza Strip.
She used social media platforms to raise awareness about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and showcased her involvement in charitable activities, including distributing aid, cooking for others despite shortages, and providing various forms of support.
Yaqeen reached tens of thousands through her social media videos, which documented both her humanitarian work and her resilience.
Some of her videos highlighted donation projects for orphans and displaced families; others captured her joyful moments with children as she laughed, played, and handed out gifts; while others showed her efforts to navigate the daily hardships of life under Israeli bombardment.
Her Instagram account serves as a digital testament to Yaqeen Hammad’s life and work.
She played a crucial role in amplifying the voices of Gaza’s youth and highlighting the humanitarian crisis.
She became a symbol of the resilience of Gazan children who refused to be broken by Israel’s ongoing assault.
In one of her videos posted alongside her peers, she wrote, “We still hold firmly to the Quran and to education despite the famine, the siege, and the ongoing genocide — with empty stomachs and faithful hearts.”
Following her death, many activists, journalists, and social media users expressed condolences and condemned Israel’s ongoing assault on the Gaza Strip, which has killed many, including children and women.
Her brother Mahmoud wrote, “Yaqeen, the world champion. My sister, my soul, was martyred.”
Israeli attacks have killed at least 76 people across Gaza since early on Friday, and casualties continue to mount amid ongoing strikes.
Journalist Bilal al-Hatoum was also martyred as a result of the shelling of the Al-Saftawi area.
Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza has killed at least 53,822 Palestinians and wounded 122,382, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The Government Media Office updated the death toll to more than 61,700, saying thousands of people missing under the rubble are presumed dead.
