Yaqeen Hammad
{{Short description|Palestinian influencer (2013–2025)}}
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Yaqeen Hammad (2013 – 23 May 2025) was a Palestinian social media influencer who was known for sharing humanitarian updates during the Gaza war. She was killed at the age of 11 in an Israeli airstrike on her family's house in Deir al-Balah.
Biography
Hammad was born in 2013. She was the youngest of five siblings, and grew up in Deir al-Balah.{{Cite web |last=Mukerji |first=Aranya |date=2025-05-28 |title=Who is Yaqeen Hammad? Gaza’s Youngest Influencer Killed in Israeli Strike |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/international/who-is-yaqeen-hammad-gazas-youngest-influencer-killed-in-israeli-strike |access-date=2025-06-08 |website=Outlook |language=en}} Her uncle is Hussein Hassan, a Red Crescent paramedic,{{Cite news |last=Tondo |first=Lorenzo |last2=Tantesh |first2=Malak A. |date=2025-05-30 |title=One afternoon in Gaza, two family tragedies: the childhoods cut short by Israeli airstrikes |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2025/may/30/gaza-two-family-tragedies-childhoods-cut-short-israeli-airstrikes |access-date=2025-06-08 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} and her older brother Mohamed is a humanitarian worker.{{Cite news |last=Zbeedat |first=Nagham |date=May 27, 2025 |title=Gaza's 'youngest humanitarian influencer' killed in Israeli strike |url=https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/palestinians/2025-05-27/ty-article/.premium/gazas-youngest-humanitarian-influencer-killed-in-israeli-strike/00000197-0d09-d409-add7-4f192ebd0000 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250601023344/https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/palestinians/2025-05-27/ty-article/.premium/gazas-youngest-humanitarian-influencer-killed-in-israeli-strike/00000197-0d09-d409-add7-4f192ebd0000 |archive-date=2025-06-01 |access-date=2025-06-08 |work=Haaretz |language=en}}
During the Gaza war, Yaqeen and Mohamed provided displaced families with food, toys and clothing.{{Cite web |date=25 May 2025 |title=Gaza’s youngest influencer among children killed by Israel in last two days |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/5/25/gazas-youngest-influencer-among-11-children-killed-by-israel-in-two-days |access-date=2025-06-08 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Cookman |first=Liz |date=2025-05-27 |title=Gaza’s youngest influencer, 11, killed in Israeli airstrike |url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/middle-east/israel-hamas-war/article/gaza-influencer-dies-video-yaqeen-hammad-0h8ds8rxv |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250527133651/https://www.thetimes.com/world/middle-east/israel-hamas-war/article/gaza-influencer-dies-video-yaqeen-hammad-0h8ds8rxv |archive-date=27 May 2025 |access-date=2025-06-08 |website=The Times |language=en}} Yaqeen was the Gaza Strip's youngest social media influencer, and shared videos on Instagram showcasing her work with Ouena, a non-profit organization dedicated to humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip. She also posted tips on how to survive Israel's ongoing bombing of the Gaza Strip.{{Cite news |last=Tondo |first=Lorenzo |last2=Tantesh |first2=Malak A. |last3=Mousa |first3=Aseel |date=2025-05-27 |title=Gaza’s youngest influencer aged 11 among children killed by Israeli strikes |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/26/gazas-youngest-influencer-aged-11-among-children-killed-by-israeli-strikes |access-date=2025-06-08 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}
In one of her final videos posted on 15 May, Yaqeen said, "In spite of the war, in spite of the genocide, we came here to bring joy to the children."
Death
On 23 May 2025, Hammad was killed in an Israeli airstrike on her family's house in the Al-Baraka area of Deir al-Balah. She was 11 years old. Her body was recovered from under the rubble.
Following the news of Hammad's death, tributes to her flooded social media. Al Jazeera correspondent Wael Al-Dahdouh shared the news of her death and stated that "no one is immune". Hani Abu Rizq, a journalist and colleague of Hammad, said, "She had an entrepreneurial spirit and was always the first to do good. She loved helping others and bringing joy to children in displacement camps. She had a special touch, spreading hope and optimism among people despite the difficult circumstances." Palestinian photojournalist Amr Tabash wrote, "Yaqeen was martyred, yet certainty remains in our hearts that the children of Gaza are the heartbeat of humanity and a reflection of global silence."
See also
References
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