By Ahmed Dremly in Gaza City, Palestine
May 12, 2025
Noah al-Saqa had just celebrated his 10th birthday, but was a victim of an Israeli attack on a restaurant and market that killed 33 people. One family’s story sums up the ongoing tragedy of Gaza
At just 10 years old, Noah al-Saqa dreamed of becoming an architect to help rebuild the devastated Gaza Strip.
In the week leading up to his birthday on 6 May, Noah kept asking his parents to prepare for it. But with empty markets and no ingredients for cakes or sweets, a celebration felt out of reach.
Since 2 March, no food, goods, or humanitarian aid has entered Gaza. Still, his mother, Faten, 38, searched through market stalls for days until she managed to find a few items of white flour, sugar, baking powder and an egg to make him a simple piece of cake.
“He invited all his cousins, aunts, uncles, and friends from our neighbourhood to celebrate with him,” said his father Daoud al-Saqa, 43. “Even though we had little to celebrate because of the war, his joy filled us with overwhelming happiness.”
There was nothing Saqa could give him as a gift, so he offered Noah 20 shekels, about eight dollars, and told him he could buy anything he liked.
“I hugged him and kissed him. I never imagined it would be the last time.”
Fateful afternoon
Noah was overjoyed. He couldn’t sleep that night from excitement and refused to change out of his birthday clothes.
The next day, he asked his mother for something to eat. When she told him the only option was canned meat, he took 20 shekels of his birthday money and said he was going to play football with his friends and buy crisps from a nearby market.
Around 3pm, two Israeli air strikes hit the area, targeting the crowded al-Thailandi restaurant, in Gaza City’s northern Rimal neighbourhood, and the adjacent market.
“It was the most horrific sound of explosions I’ve heard since the beginning of the war, then the screams of people calling for help,” Saqa said.
Saqa and his eldest son, Mohammed, 15, were working at their stall on al-Wihda Street, just 150 metres away, when the attack took place. They ran towards the scene to help the wounded.
“I saw over seven children killed – students, passersby, kids with their parents – along with dozens of others, young and old,” he said. At least 33 people were killed in the attack and dozens wounded.
“Then something hit me. I called my wife to check on Noah. She looked for him in the house, but he wasn’t there.”
‘He was gone’
Panic set in. Saqa searched the streets, checking the wounded and the dead. When there was no sign of Noah, he rushed to al-Shifa Hospital, just 200 metres away. His wife and other sons joined him.
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