Devastated father wonders why an Israeli strike killed his 4-year-old daughter

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Massa Abed, 4, brought a rubber ball and her doll to play with friends on the street near her family's home on Sunday. It was a mundane day in Zawaida, the central Gaza town where the Abeds returned weeks ago, with calm largely restored in the area.

But that afternoon, an Israeli strike hit a tent on the side of the road, killing Massa and some of the other children.

Her older brother, 16, grabbed Massa's little body and rushed to the hospital on a donkey cart. When she was pronounced dead, he wailed, holding her.

Days later, Massa's father, Samy Abed, turned the green ball in his hand, describing the incident to The Associated Press.

“She had a ball on her lap with a doll in her hand. Will she fight them with her football or doll?” he said. “She’s 4 years old. What can she do? She can’t even carry a rock.”

The Israeli army did not respond to requests for comment on the strike, and it remains unclear why the area — near the city of Deir al-Balah — was struck or who was targeted. Israeli officials have often blamed Hamas for civilian casualties, saying the Palestinian militant group regularly operates from residential areas and hospitals and accusing it using civilians as human shields.

Since Israel resumed attacksmore than a month ago, at least 809 children have been killed, said Zaher al-Wahidi, a spokesperson with Gaza's Health Ministry.

Overall, the ministry says, more than 52,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war, in October 2023. Ministry officials do not differentiate between civilians and militant deaths but say that more than half the dead have been women and children. Israel says it has killed over 20,000 militants, without providing details on those deaths.

On March 18, a surprise Israeli bombardment shattered a six-week ceasefire mediated by the U.S., Qatar and Egypt; hundreds of Palestinians were killed. Mediation efforts to restore the ceasefire have faltered, and Israel has vowed more devastation if Hamas doesn’t release the remaining hostages kidnapped in its rampage on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

That Hamas attack killed some 1,200 people and abducted 250 others. Israel says 59 hostages remain in captivity, at least 35 of whom are believed to be dead.

Israel has imposed a blockade on Gaza, not allowing food, medicine, or assistance to enter the strip. The United Nations World Food Program said its stockpiles that it used to feed over 600,000 people daily are empty. Israel says the blockade’s aim is to increase pressure on Hamas to release the rest of the hostages and to disarm.

At the hospital where Massa's brother brought her, bodies of her young playmates lay nearby — a reminder, relatives said, of children in danger as attacks continue.

Massa had the confidence and bubbly personality of a teenager, socializing and conversing with everyone, her father said as he scrolled through photos and videos where she played and posed for the cameras.

He soon turned to photos of her body at the hospital.

“We see her when we’re asleep. When we wake up, we remember her,” he said.

Majdi Abed, Massa’s uncle, says he has regular visions of her. “I was sitting right here at 7 a.m., and I felt the girl coming toward me,” he said, describing how he frequently bursts into tears upon realizing it's not really Massa.

The family still expects her to show up at their breakfast table.

But, her father said, “her spot is empty.”

——

Chehayeb reported from Beirut. Associated Press writer Fatma Khaled in Cairo contributed to this report.

FILE - The body of Aya Al-Talli, 5, killed in an Israeli army airstrike of the Gaza Strip, lies on the floor of Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana, File)

FILE- Heba Shakura mourns her son Islam Abu Mahdi who was killed in an Israeli army airstrike, during his funeral at the Indonesian hospital in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, Monday, April 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi,File)

FILE - Anas El Din Hegazy holds the body of his young brother, Zain, 4, who was killed in an Israeli army airstrike on a tent in Gaza City, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi,File)

FILE - Relatives of Massa Abed, 4, who was killed in an Israeli army airstrike on the Gaza Strip, carry her body at Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, Gaza, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Samy Abed, right, points at the spot where his 4-year-old daughter, Massa, was killed by an Israeli army strike in Zawaida, near the city of Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Mohammed Abed, left, stands next to his father, Samy, at the spot where his 4-year-old sister, Massa, was killed by an Israeli army strike in Zawaida, near the city of Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Samy Abed shows a dress Tuesday, April 29, 2025, that his 4-year-old daughter, Massa, wore for the Eid festivities and a ball she used to play with before she was killed by an Israeli army strike in Zawaida, near the city of Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Mohammed Abed shows a mark left by shrapnel on a wall from the day his 4-year-old sister, Massa, was killed by an Israeli army strike in Zawaida, near the city of Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Tuesday April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Samy Abed shows a picture of his 4-year-old daughter, Massa, before she was killed by an Israeli army strike in Zawaida, near the city of Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Mohammed Abed shows on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, the dress that his 4-year-old sister, Massa, was wearing during the Eid festivities just weeks before she was killed by an Israeli army strike in Zawaida, near the city of Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

FILE - Mohammed Abed, center, weeps as he holds the body of his younger sister, Massa , 4, who was killed in an Israeli army airstrike on the Gaza Strip, at the morgue of Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, Gaza, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana, File)

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 12, 2026--

Nextpower (Nasdaq: NXT, formerly Nextracker) and Abunayyan Holding today announced the completion of the incorporation of the previously announced joint venture, Nextpower Arabia, headquartered in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The new joint venture will accelerate the deployment of utility-scale solar power plants across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, supporting national and regional renewable energy transformation objectives and Net Zero targets.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260111848469/en/

As part of the new joint venture, the partners also announced a new advanced manufacturing facility in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Nextpower Arabia will provide advanced tracker systems, yield management, and control solutions for installation on large-scale solar projects across the MENA region.

The facility is expected to enable total manufacturing and localized supply chain capacity of up to 12 GW per year, supporting the creation of up to 2,000 jobs and development of local engineering and technical talent within the Kingdom. Currently under construction on a 42,000-square-meter site, the production facility is anticipated to open in Q2 of calendar year 2026 and will manufacture Nextpower’s comprehensive portfolio of solar tracking systems, adding up to 600 employees ( watch the video ).

Khalid Abunayyan, Chairman of Abunayyan Holding, said, “Making energy and water supply readily accessible, sustainable, and affordable is essential to the continued economic and social development of Saudi Arabia and our partners across the region. It is also central to the core values and DNA of Abunayyan Holding. Partnering with Nextpower, a true pioneer in the international solar energy community, strengthens our role in advancing Saudi’s clean energy vision by localizing advanced manufacturing and technologies, building local capacity development, and creating lasting value for generations to come.”

Dan Shugar, founder and CEO of Nextpower, said, “Saudi Arabia is a strategic market for Nextpower as we expand our ability to serve customers across the Middle East. The Kingdom is making significant progress in advancing the energy transition, and we’re proud and honored to support these monumental initiatives with proven solar technology and trusted local partnerships. Abunayyan Group’s regional expertise and alignment with our business focus make them the right partner to help deliver greater value, faster, for customers in the region.”

Turki Al-Amri, Abunayyan Holding CEO and Nextpower Arabia Chairman and CEO, said, “Our manufacturing facility represents the first step in our strategic vision to strengthen and localize the solar supply chain for our partners across the MENA region and enhance collaboration to deliver highly efficient and cost-effective clean energy. By sourcing core materials such as Saudi-produced steel through our strategic partners and manufacturing locally, we are supporting economic diversification and industrial growth that is at the foundation of Saudi Vision 2030.”

Nextpower Arabia combines the deep regional expertise of Riyadh-based Abunayyan Holding with the global solar technology leadership of Nextpower. Abunayyan Holding brings more than 75 years of experience developing and privatizing the operation of critical water and energy infrastructure across Saudi and the MENA region. The company was a key driver of the consortium behind the founding and growth of several development arms and forming joint ventures that bring leading technology to the region.

U.S.-headquartered Nextpower is a global leader in advanced solar tracking systems and software, with over 150 GW of trackers under fulfilment or operational across more than 45 countries worldwide. This total includes more than 6 GW of solar projects across the Middle East and Africa, such as Phase V of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in the UAE and 3 GW of Saudi landmark projects, including:

Nextpower Arabia is well positioned to support the National Renewable Energy Program in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which targets increasing the share of renewables in the country’s energy mix by 2030. Localizing manufacturing in the Kingdom will also support Saudi Arabia’s industrialization and export development plans while helping reduce the cost of clean energy for major projects across the region.

According to the Middle East Solar Industry Association’s (MESIA) recent 2025 Solar Outlook Report, cost competitiveness and improving production efficiencies are accelerating solar adoption and government-backed clean energy strategies, with regional solar capacity projected to exceed 180 GW by 2030.

In support of this growth opportunity, Abunayyan Holding and Nextpower anticipate funding the joint venture with approximately $88 million (approximately 330 million Saudi Riyals) in equity and public and private debt financings over the next two years alone. This capital will facilitate the buildout of the state-of-the-art manufacturing facility and development of highly skilled technical and engineering capabilities with a track record in operational excellence.

About Nextpower

Nextpower™ (Nasdaq: NXT, formerly Nextracker) designs, engineers, and delivers an advanced energy technology platform for solar power plants, innovating across structural, electrical, and digital domains. Our integrated solutions are designed to streamline project execution, increase energy yield and long-term reliability, and enhance customer ROI. Building on over a decade of technology and market leadership, the company delivers intelligent power generation systems and services to meet rapidly expanding global electricity demand. Nextpower partners with the world’s leading energy companies to power what’s next. Learn more at www.nextpower.com.

About Abunayyan Holding

Abunayyan Holding is one of Saudi Arabia’s most established and leading companies in the fields of water, energy, and infrastructure. With a legacy spanning more than 75 years of leadership and innovation, the company provides integrated solutions that contribute to sustaining life and supporting the Kingdom’s national development goals.

The Group comprises a portfolio of strategic subsidiaries covering the full value chain across water, renewable energy, treatment, industrial equipment, and smart infrastructure, serving both local and regional markets in Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East and North Africa region.

Through its local and international partnerships, Abunayyan Holding plays a key role in localizing technologies and empowering national talent in alignment with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 to build a prosperous, sustainable, and innovation-driven economy.

For more information, please visit Abunayyan Holding.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including: statements regarding the deployment of utility-scale solar power plants in MENA and the ability to reach renewable energy objectives, including Net Zero targets; statements regarding the speed, cost efficiency and supply-chain optimization anticipated from the joint venture; statements regarding the development of manufacturing facilities and the benefits associated with such development, including capacity increases and job creation; and statements regarding the anticipated benefits of the joint venture, and future opportunities for the joint venture, including the benefits customers may realize as a result of the joint venture. These forward-looking statements are only predictions and may differ materially from actual results due to a variety of factors including: the satisfaction of other closing conditions and the ability of Nextpower to successfully integrate operations and employees in the joint venture; the market demand for products, solutions and services offered by the joint venture and the joint venture’s ability to deliver them to customers; the risks of operating in the Kingdom and the MENA region; unexpected costs, charges or expenses resulting from the joint venture; the joint venture’s ability to successfully grow its business; potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships resulting from the announcement or completion of the joint venture; the retention of key employees, customers, or suppliers; projections regarding the global demand for electricity and solar power; macro-economic trends; and legislative, regulatory and economic developments, including changing business conditions in our industry or markets overall and the economy in general. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by these forward-looking statements, including risks and uncertainties that are also described under “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Nextpower’s most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, Annual Report on Form 10-K and other documents that Nextpower has filed or will file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. There may be additional risks that Nextpower and/or the joint venture is not aware of or that Nextpower and/or the joint venture currently believes are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from these forward-

looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Nextpower and the joint venture assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

Energy Leaders Abunayyan Holding and Nextpower Complete Formation of Joint Venture, Nextpower Arabia