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SAD! Medical staff loses entire family, including quadruplets, in air strike

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

A nurse in Gaza has told the BBC his wife and six children – including a group of quadruplets – were killed in an attack in the central Gaza strip.

“My entire family has been wiped out in an instant”, says Ashraf El Attar, “leaving me with nothing”.

The nurse – who works at Gaza’s European hospital – says his family home in Deir-al-Balah was hit in the early hours of Sunday morning. He survived with minor injuries.

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Israel has not spoken about this specific attack, but has said its forces were operating in the city. It says it only targets members of armed groups.

Killed in the strike were Mr El Attar’s wife – Hala Khattab, a teacher – and their six children – a 15-year-old boy, a one-year-old girl, and their four 10-year-old quadruplets.

Speaking to BBC Arabic’s Gaza Today podcast, the nurse says that around 6am on the morning of the attack he was getting ready for work when he “heard the alarm sound and suddenly lost consciousness”.

When he came to, Mr El Attar says he was in “severe pain” and the house “was in ruins”.

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All the outer walls of their apartment building were destroyed.

“I desperately called out for my children and my wife, but it was too late.

“My six children, including four twins, and my wife were killed instantly in the attack,” he says.

The strike took them by surprise, Mr El Attar says. The night before, the family had spent time “enjoying a soap opera together”, trying to “escape the harsh reality of war”.

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Ashraf El Attar sat down wearing turquoise hospital scrub top and with his hands raised in the air in front of him. His right hand is heavily bandaged and has his fingers and thumb poking out. His right eye is covered in an eye patch.

Mr El Attar says all his “dreams have been destroyed” in the attack.

Mr El Attar’s mother – and grandmother to his six children – says she “cannot comprehend” why their home was hit.

“My son Ashraf works as a nurse at the European hospital, where he is dedicated to helping patients.

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“We had no connections with any organisations,” she says.

The couple had an “incredibly challenging time” raising their children, she says, in particular the quadruplets.

“The babies faced severe health issues in their early months and nearly died.

“We provided oxygen cylinders at home, and one of them, Hammam, underwent hernia surgery,” she says.

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Handout Four children lay in circle on grass with their thumbs raised into the air. Some yellow stars, added via a camera filter, appear over the top of the image.Handout

The couple’s six children – a 15-year-old boy, a one-year-old girl, and a group of 10-year-old quadruplets – were all killed

Mr El Attar says his wife – Hala – was “dedicated” to helping displaced people.

She was working for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (Unrwa), he says, a UN agency that provides support for Palestinian refugees.

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Now the nurse says he is forced to come to terms with the life they could have had together.

“I worked tirelessly to support my family and watch my children grow up, dreaming of giving them a better future – a big house, a car, and mobile phones,” he says.

But now “all those dreams have been destroyed”.

“I demand justice for my family”, he says, something he vows to pursue through “any international court”.

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“Israel has committed a grave injustice. My entire family has been wiped out in an instant, leaving me with nothing.”

The Israel Defense Forces has not commented on this specific strike, but has said it was operating in Deir al-Balah over the weekend.

In another statement on Monday, it said it had been operating in the outskirts of Deir al-Balah “eliminating terrorists, destroying combat compounds above and below ground”.

It says It only targets members of armed groups, and blames civilian deaths on Hamas – who it says places fighters, weapons, tunnels and rockets in residential areas.

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Hamas-led gunmen killed about 1,200 people in an attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, taking 251 others back to Gaza as hostages.

That attack triggered a massive Israeli military offensive against Gaza and the current war, during which more than 40,170 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry. (BBC, excluding headline)

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JUST IN: Govt Declares Friday As Public Holiday

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The Ondo State Government has declared Friday as public holiday to enable civil servants and others to travel to their various communities to exercise their civic responsibilities.

This was contained in a statement on Wednesday evening signed by O.F Ayodele, Permanent Secretary, Office of the Head of service.

The statement reads, “The 2024 Governorship Election in Ondo State has been scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to hold on Saturday, 16th November, 2024.

“To this end, the Ondo State Government has declared Friday, 15th November, 2024 as Work-Free Day for Public Servants in the State to enable them travel to their various communities to exercise their civic responsibilities.

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“All Accounting Officers are to note the content of this Circular and disseminate same to all staff of their respective Ministries, Departments and Agencies.”

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NNPC Carries Out Leadership Shakeup, Appoints Adedapo Segun As New CFO

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The Board of Directors at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has announced a leadership shakeup, appointing key executives to strengthen corporate governance and operational efficiency.

This was made known in a press statement issued on Wednesday by the NNPC’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye.

In the series of new appointments, Mr. Adedapo A. Segun has been named as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), succeeding his prior role as Executive Vice President of the Downstream sector, where he contributed significantly to NNPC’s downstream operations.

Segun replaced the outgoing CFO, Umar Ajiya.

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Joining him in newly appointed roles, Mr. Isiyaku Abdullahi has been promoted to Executive Vice President (EVP), Downstream.

Udobong Ntia has also been appointed as the Executive Vice President (EVP), Upstream, replacing the outgoing EVP Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan.

The statement read, “These appointments align with NNPC Limited’s commitment to building a unified and competent leadership team to drive operational excellence and support the organisation’s strategic objectives.

“The Board and Management also extend their deepest appreciation to Mr. Umar Ajiya and Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa A. Eyesan for their outstanding dedication and service to NNPC Limited.

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NNPC Limited remains committed to achieving operational excellence, enhancing global competitiveness, and ensuring financial sustainability, while prioritising the interests of the Nigerian public in the petroleum industry.”

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1,172 Nigerians Killed, Over 1,000 Kidnapped In Nine Months – NHRC

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The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) says a total of 1,463 people were killed by non-state actors while 1,172 Nigerians were kidnapped between January to September 2024.

According to the data from the commission, the month of May recorded the highest number of persons killed with 298 while March recorded the highest number of abductions with 499 kidnappings.

These figures were presented on Wednesday at a workshop on the state of human rights in Nigeria by the commission and the European Union, in Abuja.

In his remarks, NHRC Senior Human Rights Adviser, Hillary Ogbonna, gave a breakdown of the alarming rise in human rights abuses, including kidnappings, killings and child abandonment.

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“By January 2024, we already had 150 kidnappings and 55 killings associated mainly with non-state actors. What has become the norm is the killing of law enforcement officers,” he said.

“We started with seven policemen killed in January. From victims’ perspectives, we had quite a number of victims for human rights violations for January.”

The NHRC attributed the rise in kidnappings, killings and child abandonment to the negligence of the state tom protect its citizens.

“In recent years, we have witnessed alarming trends and threats against those who dare to speak the truth to power.

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“It serves as a stark reminder that the protection of human rights is an ongoing struggle that requires continuous vigilance, action and cooperation from all sectors of the society,” Tony Ojukwu, NHRC Executive Secretary said.

The delegation from the EU reiterates its commitment to support Nigeria to overcome these challenges. It also urged the Federal Government to work with the armed forces to end this trend.

“The European Union will continue to work around the world through diplomacy,” the Head of EU Delegation, Zissimos Vergos, said.

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