As part of the ongoing efforts by the Palestinian Center for the Missing and Forcibly Disappeared (PCMFD) to document cases of loss and enforced disappearance in the Gaza Strip, the Center documents the disappearance of the child Musab Hussein Alyan. This case stands as a stark instance carrying direct and compelling indicators of enforced disappearance and arbitrary detention of children by Israeli forces.
According to the information and testimonies documented by the Center, and based on the direct authorization provided by the family, the child Musab Hussein Alyan—aged 12 at the time of the incident (born May 19, 2013, residing in Jabalia Camp – Al-Tarans Street, and displaced at Al-Fayrouz Towers in Al-Nasr area, Northern Gaza)—went missing on August 2, 2025.
Incident Details and Circumstances of Disappearance
According to available documentation, Musab left the tent where he was residing with his family on Saturday, August 2, 2025, at approximately 4:00 PM, heading toward the “Zikim” area in Northern Gaza to obtain humanitarian aid and bring milk for his family, having previously visited the area for the same purpose.
Upon reaching the Zikim area, Musab failed to return. Since that moment, all contact with him has been lost, and his family has received no information regarding his fate or whereabouts. Israeli forces were present and conducting military operations in the area at the time. Documentation confirms that Musab was in good health and did not suffer from any pre-existing medical conditions prior to his disappearance.
The disappearance of the child Musab Alyan while seeking humanitarian aid, combined with the complete refusal of Israeli authorities to disclose his fate or acknowledge his place of detention, places this case under the prohibition of enforced disappearance under international law and international humanitarian law. This practice constitutes a flagrant violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Geneva Conventions, which afford special protection to children and civilians during armed conflicts and guarantee the non-derogable right of families to know the fate of their loved ones.
Search Efforts and Actions Taken
Following his disappearance, Musab’s family pursued all available avenues to locate him. They contacted the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), HaMoked – Center for the Defence of the Individual, and Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association. All entities confirmed that there are no official records indicating his detention status or clarifying his whereabouts to date.
In follow-up to the case and based on the explicit power of attorney granted by the family, the PCMFD submitted an urgent official communication to the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) in Geneva on March 21, 2026. The submission calls upon UN mechanisms to exert serious international pressure on Israeli authorities to investigate the circumstances of his disappearance, immediately disclose his place of detention, end his unacknowledged status, and ensure the child’s safe return to his family.
Unknown Fate and Urgent Appeal
To this day, Musab Alyan remains forcibly disappeared. His family and the Center urgently appeal to all human rights organizations, international bodies, and UN committees concerned with child rights to intervene immediately and exert pressure to reach him and guarantee his protection. This case illustrates the compound suffering of children and civilians who face enforced disappearance while attempting to secure basic survival needs for their families, necessitating decisive international action to end the policy of denial and uphold the right to know the truth.
