Baby Tala, Born From Her Mother Who Was Killed by an Israeli Airstrike, Dies

By Chantal Da Silva and Josh Lederman

April 11, 2024 5:00AM PDT

TEL AVIV — It was a moment of elation amid tragedy in December as baby Tala Rouqa was born by cesarean section from her mother, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza.

But Tala's life, though promising, has been cut short. The baby, who was born prematurely and weighed just over 1 pound, died on April 10 at an Israeli hospital where she had been receiving treatment for respiratory problems.

Tala's mother, Sabreen Alrouh Joudeh, was 22 years old when she was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Dec. 20, 2023. She was eight months pregnant with Tala at the time.

Tala's birth was a glimmer of hope in a conflict that has claimed the lives of dozens of Palestinian children. But her death is a tragic reminder of the ongoing violence and the devastating impact it has on innocent lives.