Man loses wife two days after wedding in Gaza tent collapse
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- Young Palestinian loses wife two days after wedding when wall collapses on their tent in Gaza.
- Thousands of Gazans live near structurally damaged buildings, facing ongoing risk from storms and destruction.
Ahmed Abu Saadeh, a young Palestinian in his twenties, is living in deep grief after losing his wife just two days after their wedding. A partially collapsed wall from a previously bombed building fell on their tent near Gaza’s coastline, killing Walaa Juha instantly.
Life Cut Short
Abu Saadeh, who has a hearing disability, had hoped to start a stable life after surviving two years of war. He married Juha in a modest ceremony on December 27, aiming to build a future amid displacement and destruction.
Read more: Three killed as wedding hall shelter collapses in Gaza
But their happiness was short-lived. A severe winter storm brought heavy rain and strong winds, causing the unstable wall of a building damaged in past ‘Israel’ bombings to collapse onto their tent.
Since the tragedy, Abu Saadeh has remained isolated, revisiting photos of their wedding that became a painful memory. His father, Saad al-Din Abu Saadeh, said, “He wanted to live like any young man, overcoming his disability and building a family. Now he faces unimaginable grief, unable to engage with the world.”
Gaza’s Ongoing Crisis
Psychological trauma runs deep across Gaza. More than 71,000 Palestinians were killed during the two-year-long campaign that began on October 8, 2023, and over 171,000 were injured. Displaced families and children are particularly affected by post-traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety.
Read more: UN warns Gaza humanitarian crisis worsens amid harsh weather
Thousands are forced to live in structurally damaged buildings. Local reports indicate that since December, dozens of unstable buildings have collapsed during storms, killing and injuring Palestinians. Over 18 people have died in 50 building collapses since December alone.
Abu Saadeh’s family explained they had no choice but to place the newlyweds’ tent near unstable structures due to widespread housing destruction.
Call for International Support
The family urged the international community to ensure protection, rebuild homes, and provide Gazans with safe living conditions. “We ask humanity to look at Gaza with mercy,” Abu Saadeh’s father said.
The destruction has left 90 percent of Gaza’s buildings damaged or destroyed, with reconstruction costs estimated at $70 billion by the United Nations. Despite a ceasefire agreement that began on October 10, 2025, access to materials for rebuilding remains restricted, leaving families exposed to ongoing risks from collapsed buildings and storms.
