Palestinian Mother Attacked by Israeli Military Dog Loses Newborn Amid Gaza Conflict
A Palestinian mother of three, Arian, from Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, suffered a devastating loss after being attacked by an Israeli military dog during a raid on her home, leading to the death of her newborn baby.
Israeli Military Raid in Khan Younis
On October 24, 2024, Arian was at home with her husband and children when the Israeli military invaded her neighborhood, al-Manara. Despite the area initially appearing safe, shelling began around 8 p.m., forcing her family to seek refuge in her brother-in-law's apartment. Several nearby homes were destroyed, and many neighbors lost their lives.
Attack by Israeli Military Dog
While hiding with her husband, children, pregnant sister, and brother-in-law, the family heard footsteps and voices. Suddenly, a combat dog, equipped with a light and a camera, entered the home and charged at them. The dog, described by Arian as massive and black, broke through the bathroom door, attacking her pregnant sister before returning to bite Arian's right thigh, causing severe injuries.
Israeli soldiers outside intervened after the dog dragged Arian through the corridor, biting into her flesh. Four soldiers were required to remove the dog, which eventually stopped after one soldier patted its head.
Military Occupation and Trauma
Following the attack, Israeli soldiers turned Arian's apartment into a military base, interrogating residents and detaining several men, including her husband, who remains in Israeli custody. Despite her injuries, soldiers offered minimal medical aid, merely bandaging her wounds and warning her against discussing the incident.
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Medical Complications and Newborn's Death
After the military withdrew, Arian was transported to the severely damaged Nasser Hospital, where doctors treated her wound and warned of potential complications during childbirth. Stress and malnutrition from the ongoing conflict had already caused deformities in her unborn child.
Arian later underwent a difficult cesarean section, giving birth to a critically ill baby boy named Ibrahim. Despite being placed in an incubator, he succumbed to complications from the injuries and infection caused by the dog attack.
Ongoing Physical and Emotional Trauma
Arian continues to suffer from both physical and psychological trauma. Her wound requires months to heal fully, and she remains haunted by the fear of another attack. She has difficulty walking and experiences persistent pain.
Mentally, she struggles with trust issues, fears returning home, and often requires assistance from family members for basic tasks.
Use of Combat Dogs in Gaza
Since the start of the Israeli ground invasion in October 2023, the use of combat dogs on Palestinian civilians has become a recurring tactic by the Israeli military. Dogs equipped with cameras have been deployed to search buildings, often resulting in severe injuries and fatalities among civilians.
This incident adds to a series of reported cases where Palestinians, including vulnerable individuals, have suffered from Israeli combat dog attacks in Gaza