Ibtisam Nassar, a celebrated figure in Gaza’s cultural scene, was killed just hours after posting an emotional tribute to her martyred husband and children.

Palestinian actress Ibtisam Nassar was killed on Tuesday in an Israeli airstrike that targeted a displacement camp in the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza, Al-Jazeera reported. 

Her death came just hours after she publicly mourned the loss of her husband and two sons, who were killed in earlier airstrikes during the ongoing war. In a heartbreaking message posted on her official Facebook page, Nassar wrote:

“I will not ask who will bring back my husband, or my children, or my home, my dreams, and my memories. What we have lost, God will replace with something better—in a paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, God willing. We say only what pleases God (…) God, give us strength, steadfastness, and victory.”

The bombing claimed the lives of Ibtisam, her son, and 13 other members of her family, including Ahmed Abdel Hadi Nassar, Nemah Abdel Hadi Nassar, and Amani Abdel Hadi Nassar.

Her nephew announced the news of her killing on Facebook, writing:

“Today, 15 members of my family have ascended to heaven, including my martyred aunt—Ibtisam Nassar—the wife of a martyr, mother of martyrs, and grandmother of martyrs. She and those with her have joined the loved ones who preceded them.”

The Nassar family’s tragedy occurred amid a broader Israeli assault that killed 67 Palestinians in strikes on multiple displacement camps early Tuesday, including attacks near health centers, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

Palestinian artist Ibtisam Nassar was killed along with her son and 13 members of her family in an Israeli airstrike that targeted a home in Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza, joining her hasband and her two sons killed in a previous attack during the ongoing genocide. pic.twitter.com/OeprihqJbE

— Al-Jarmaq News (@Aljarmaqnetnews) May 20, 2025

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) said that life in Gaza has nearly collapsed, with worsening conditions and rising levels of malnutrition among the population.

Ibtisam Nassar, known for her roles in several local television dramas, was a well-regarded figure in Gaza’s artistic community. Her performances often centered on the lives of Palestinian women and social and humanitarian struggles, earning her widespread admiration.

Palestinian artist Ibtisam Nassar was martyred along with her son & 13 members of her family when their displacement site in the Nuseirat camp, central Gaza Strip was targeted early today. pic.twitter.com/JzMz9trBmv

— Timmi🌙 (@MooniTB) May 20, 2025

News of her death triggered an outpouring of grief on social media. One user wrote:

“The artist, the human being, the mother of a martyr, the wife of a martyr, and the sister of a martyr—Ibtisam Nassar—has joined them in heaven.”

Another post noted that she now rests alongside her husband Abdul Hadi Nassar, her children Muhammad, Mahmoud, and Fadwa, and her grandson Obaida.

(PC, AJA)