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A Palestinian vet was killed by Israeli troops as he returned to his home in northern Gaza after the ceasefire took effect, his employer has said.
Dr Mu’ath Abu Rukbeh, who was described as a “kind” and “exceptional” vet, was killed when he unknowingly crossed Israel’s “yellow buffer zone”, which marks a withdrawal point for Israeli forces in the occupied strip, according to Sulala Animal Rescue, where he worked. He is among several Palestinians who were shot dead while crossing the boundary since the ceasefire.
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Dr Mu’ath Abu Rukbeh treating a horse at Sulala Animal Rescue (Sulala Animal Rescue)
Dr Mu’ath, 30, left the tent where he was living in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, on 10 October – the same day the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect. He wanted to return to his home in Jabalia to collect his belongings, as he was previously displaced due to the war. His wife and two young sons, aged three and 20 months, remained at home for safety reasons.
According to Sulala, Dr Mu’ath believed it was safe to return home as there was little communication or clarity from the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) over where exactly the line began.
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Dr Mu’ath pictured with his wife and two sons (aged three and 20 months old) (Dr Mu’ath Abu Rukba)
Hours after he left Deir al-Balah, his family became anxious after losing all contact with him. He was missing for nine days, with colleagues from Sulala and local residents sent out to search for him.
The search party included Dr Mu’ath’s brother, who said he had found a line of dead bodies near the family home. He also claimed to have witnessed a person killed by a drone for crossing the yellow line.
Dr Mu’ath’s brother said he was just 500 metres away from the house when Israeli soldiers opened fire at him. He was unable to locate the body of his brother and hoped that he had been captured rather than killed.
On 19 October, Dr Mu’ath’s body was discovered and his brother was alerted.
Annelies Keuleers, a spokesperson for Sulala Animal Rescue, told The Independent: “He made a rational decision. He looked at the map, he tried to be safe, and in the end, he had terribly bad luck.
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The beloved vet caring for kittens in Gaza (Sulala Animal Rescue)
“He didn’t deserve this. His family didn’t deserve this. And we are just so sad that this happened, and we hope that nobody else will be killed, but unfortunately, we know that probably many more innocent people will be murdered.”
Ms Keuleers described Dr Mu’ath as a “very loyal” and “fair” person who was “always patient and kind” and very devoted to his work, caring for animals and humans.
Despite the lack of resources and medicines available to treat animals during Israel’s war, he persevered and “never even asked for help”.
She added: “He was there for us every day at night, really, like they could call him in the middle of the night if they had an emergency, and he would come to help an animal.”
The animal rescue organisation where he worked also posted a video on X (Twitter) confirming the death of their veterinarian. Another Sulala Animal Rescue spokesperson in the video said: “Dr Mu’ath was very dear to us. We lived through difficult and beautiful days together. Dr Mu’ath is a very exceptional person. He was so respectful and appreciative. He treated people and animals with kindness.”
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The vet’s family was evacuated and displaced 14 times during Israel’s offensive in Gaza (Al Sulala Animal Rescue)
“Dr Mu’ath worked with us on so many cases. He was always ready to come treat any animal. He was in a constant state of preparedness to come help any animal. We are very sorry to lose him. We wish his family patience.”
Dr Mu’ath’s family was evacuated and displaced 14 times during Israel’s brutal military offensive in Gaza. The price of land skyrocketed during the war, meaning the family could not afford anywhere to live. He was therefore forced to dangerously place his family’s tent, along with two small children, on the roof of another family member’s house.
Last month, a UN Commission concluded that Israel had committed genocide in the Gaza Strip – which Israel denies.
The Independent has contacted the IDF about Dr Mu’ath’s death, but received no response.
