In a widely circulated video from that time, Nabhan was seen holding Reem’s lifeless body, whispering tender words like “Soul of my Soul” and embracing her in his final goodbye.
Khaled Nabhan, known for his poignant phrase ‘Soul of my Soul’, was killed on Monday in an Israeli airstrike on the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.
Nabhan gained recognition for this heartfelt phrase, which he uttered as he bid farewell to his three-year-old grandaughter Reem, who was tragically killed in an Israeli air raid in November 2023.
In a widely circulated video from that time, Nabhan was seen holding Reem’s lifeless body, whispering tender words like “Soul of my Soul” and embracing her in his final goodbye. The video resonated deeply with people around the world, symbolizing the grief and loss endured by hundreds of families in Gaza.
Israel has been waging a relentless genocidal war on the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, resulting in a devastating humanitarian crisis.
Over 151,000 Palestinians have been killed or injured, the majority of them women and children. Additionally, more than 11,000 people remain missing amid widespread destruction, famine, and one of the worst humanitarian disasters in modern history.
Khaled Nabhan, the #Palestinian man who was known for his heartbreaking farewell to his grandchildren after they were killed by “Israel”, was killed today.
The grandfather is now reunited with the soul of his soul as the Israeli genocide continues to reap Palestinian lives.… pic.twitter.com/uVvYGY7QzU
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) December 16, 2024
My Love, My Heart, My Eyes
Reem was killed when an Israeli raid targeted her home in the Gaza Strip last November. Her grandfather Khaled, who adored her, clung to her memory by carefully removing a small gold earring from her ear and wearing it on his chest, keeping her spirit close to his heart.
Khaled fondly remembered the moments of joy Reem brought into his life.
“She used to call me with her sweet voice, bring me food and water, and fill my days with happiness. I would say to her, ‘Oh my love, my heart, my eyes’,” he told Palestinian media after Reem’s death.
Speaking of the tragic night, Khaled recounted: “We woke up to the sound of rubble crashing down on us. An Israeli airstrike had struck our home in Nuseirat camp.”
“I found myself trapped under the debris with bruises, while my daughter was injured. My grandchildren, Reem and Tariq, were martyred, and my other children sustained injuries.”
“The bombing came without warning, in the middle of the night,” he added.
Khaled’s grief over Reem’s loss was immeasurable. “Reem, the ‘Soul of my Soul,’ was with me every day. I used to play with her all the time, and she brought so much light into my life. Her death has torn my soul apart. I wake up and go to sleep with tears in my eyes.”
This is Khaled Nabhan, whom Israel just murdered
One of the kindest & purest souls of our time
His only fault was existing in Gaza
They first murdered his granddaughter, “the soul of his soul”, then bombed his family’s home & now murdered him in broad daylight with impunity! pic.twitter.com/GKnXYNjE86
— Muhammad Shehada (@muhammadshehad2) December 16, 2024
Ongoing Genocide
Flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire, Israel has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza.
Currently on trial before the International Court of Justice for genocide against Palestinians, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza since October 7.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 45,028 Palestinians have been killed, and 106,962 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7, 2023.
Moreover, at least 11,000 people are unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the Strip.
Israel says that 1,200 soldiers and civilians were killed during the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7. Israeli media published reports suggesting that many Israelis were killed on that day by ‘friendly fire’.
Palestinian and international organizations say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.
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The Israeli war has resulted in an acute famine, mostly in northern Gaza, resulting in the death of many Palestinians, mostly children.
The Israeli aggression has also resulted in the forceful displacement of nearly two million people from all over the Gaza Strip, with the vast majority of the displaced forced into the densely crowded southern city of Rafah near the border with Egypt – in what has become Palestine’s largest mass exodus since the 1948 Nakba.
Later in the war, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians began moving from the south to central Gaza in a constant search for safety.
(PC, AJA)
