Yaqeen Hammad, an 11-year-old girl who became Gaza’s youngest social media influencer by sharing survival tips for children living under bombardment, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Friday night, adding to the mounting toll of child casualties in the conflict.
The young girl, whose videos reached tens of thousands of followers, died when heavy airstrikes hit her family’s home in the Al-Baraka area of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza. Her body was recovered from beneath the rubble, reportedly torn apart by the bombing.
Yaqeen had gained a following by offering practical advice to other children on surviving daily life in a war zone – from cooking without gas to finding moments of joy amid destruction. In one of her last posts, she wrote: “I try to bring a bit of joy to the other children so that they can forget the war.”
Her death prompted an outpouring of grief across social media platforms on Monday, with activists, journalists, and followers paying tribute to a child who had become a symbol of resilience in impossible circumstances.
“She taught us how to smile when there was no reason to smile,” wrote one follower. An 11-year-old teaching survival skills – this is what childhood looks like in Gaza.
Yaqeen’s content included demonstrations of makeshift cooking methods when gas supplies were cut, tips for conserving water during shortages, and advice on staying calm during bombardments. Despite the grim subject matter, she maintained an infectious optimism that resonated with viewers worldwide.
The young influencer is among dozens of minors killed in recent Israeli attacks on Gaza, with children making up a significant proportion of casualties in the ongoing conflict. According to health officials, thousands of children have been killed since the current escalation began.
“When an 11-year-old becomes famous for teaching war survival skills, we’ve failed as humanity,” said Dr Sarah Hassan, a child psychologist who works with war-affected youth. Yaqeen should have been making videos about school, friends, hobbies – not how to survive bombardment.
Her videos, often filmed on a mobile phone amid the chaos of daily life in Gaza, showed a maturity beyond her years. In one widely shared clip, she demonstrated how to create a makeshift stove using available materials, maintaining her characteristic smile throughout.
My daughter watched her videos,” said Amal Rashid, a mother in Gaza. “Yaqeen made the unbearable feel manageable. She gave our children hope that they could survive another day.”
The Israeli military has not commented specifically on the strike that killed Yaqeen, maintaining its position that operations target Hamas infrastructure while attempting to minimize civilian casualties.
Human rights organisations have repeatedly condemned the high number of child casualties in Gaza, calling for immediate protection of civilians, particularly minors.
Children like Yaqeen are not collateral damage – they are human beings with dreams, talents, and futures that have been cut short,” said Patricia Williams from Save the Children. Her death represents thousands of young lives lost in this conflict.
Yaqeen’s family members who survived the strike remain hospitalised with injuries. Her uncle, speaking from his hospital bed, described her as “sunshine in the darkness” who always tried to help others despite her own fears.
“She would say, ‘Uncle, if I can help one child sleep better tonight, then I’ve done something good,'” he recalled, struggling with emotion. “She was just a baby herself, but she carried the weight of trying to save others.”
The young influencer’s content highlighted the extraordinary circumstances faced by Gaza’s children, forced to mature rapidly in an environment of constant threat. Her practical tips – from psychological coping mechanisms to physical survival strategies – revealed a childhood shaped entirely by conflict.
Educational psychologist Dr Michael Chen observed: “What’s heartbreaking about Yaqeen’s videos is how normalised trauma had become. An 11-year-old shouldn’t know five different ways to purify water during a siege.”
Fellow content creators in Gaza paid tribute to Yaqeen’s unique ability to find light in darkness. She showed the world our reality but never lost her humanity,” posted fellow Gaza influencer Mohammed Asraf. “Her smile was resistance itself.”
International journalists who had shared Yaqeen’s content expressed shock at her death. “I’ve covered conflicts for 20 years, but a child teaching other children how to survive war while maintaining hope – that stays with you,” wrote veteran correspondent Lisa Martinez.
Her final video, posted just days before her death, showed her teaching younger children a game to distract them during air raids. “When you hear the bombs, count to ten and think of something beautiful,” she instructed. “I think of the sea when it was safe to visit.”
UNICEF reported that children in Gaza show unprecedented levels of trauma, with virtually every child requiring mental health support. Yaqeen’s videos had become an informal support system for many.
“She wasn’t just an influencer – she was a peer counsellor, teacher, and beacon of hope,” noted trauma specialist Dr Rachel Green. “Her natural ability to connect with other children in crisis was extraordinary.”
The circumstances of Yaqeen’s fame – a child teaching war survival to other children – has renewed calls for international intervention to protect Gaza’s youngest residents.
What does it say about our world when an 11-year-old’s survival tips go viral?” asked human rights lawyer James Morrison. “This isn’t content that should exist. These aren’t skills children should need.”
Yaqeen had expressed dreams of becoming a teacher when the war ended, wanting to help children learn “normal things” like maths and science instead of survival skills. In one video, she said: “One day, I’ll teach in a real classroom with walls that won’t fall down.”
Her death has sparked discussions about the psychological impact on Gaza’s youth, with experts warning of a “lost generation” traumatised by continuous conflict.
“Children like Yaqeen show incredible resilience, but no child should need to be resilient against bombs,” said Dr Hassan. “We’re asking children to be superhuman when they should just be children.”
Social media platforms have seen an surge in shares of Yaqeen’s videos since her death, with many users calling for her content to be preserved as testimony to the conflict’s impact on children.
Her videos are evidence,” posted one activist. “Evidence of what children endure, how they cope, and ultimately, what we’ve allowed to happen to them.”
A makeshift online memorial has grown, with people sharing memories of how Yaqeen’s content helped them or their children cope with fear and uncertainty.
As Gaza counts another young life lost, Yaqeen Hammad’s legacy remains in the thousands of children who learned from her videos – children who, like her, are forced to master survival before they’ve mastered childhood itself.
Her story, ending at just 11 years old, stands as a testament to both the resilience and tragedy of Gaza’s youngest generation – children who become teachers of survival because the world has failed to provide them with safety.
“She tried to bring joy so others could forget the war,” her uncle said. “But the war didn’t forget her.”
