‘Soul of my soul’: Israel kills Gaza grandfather who moved world

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Israeli shelling has claimed the life of Khaled Nabhan, a Palestinian man whose deep sorrow touched hearts worldwide when a video last year showed him kissing the eyes of his slain granddaughter and calling her “soul of my soul.” Known affectionately as “Abu Diaa,” Nabhan was killed early Monday in an Israeli airstrike targeting the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, according to local reports. His death comes nearly 13 months after an earlier attack killed his three-year-old granddaughter Reem and five-year-old grandson Tarek in November 2023.

Nabhan’s grief, immortalised in a viral video of him cradling Reem’s lifeless body, became a symbol of the suffering endured by Palestinians under relentless bombardment. The video, which garnered hundreds of thousands of views and international media coverage, illustrated the human toll of Israel’s strikes on Gaza. Despite his tragedy, Nabhan spent the months following his loss aiding medics, rescuers, and particularly children, while striving to cope with his pain. Tributes poured in on Monday, with Palestinian rights advocates honouring his memory and recalling his acts of kindness and resilience.

Nabhan was killed when an Israeli attack targeted the home of the Abu Hajar family, also claiming the lives of at least four others, including a child, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa. His death highlights the unrelenting violence and lack of safety in Gaza, even for those widely admired for their humanitarian efforts. Muhammad Shehada, a Gaza-based writer, mourned Nabhan’s death, stating, “They first murdered his granddaughter, ‘the soul of his soul,’ then bombed his family’s home, and now murdered him in broad daylight with impunity.” Palestinian-American Imam Omar Suleiman described Nabhan as a beacon of hope amidst unimaginable suffering, writing, “The man had an angelic presence, smiling in the face of genocide, wandering through hospitals and camps to calm people despite his pains.”