Saja El-Khawas’s death follows the drowning of her parents and sister earlier this week.
Published On 22 Aug 2026
A six-year-old Palestinian-British girl has died in hospital days after her parents and sister drowned off the Sussex coast, police confirmed Friday.
Saja el-Khawas was admitted in critical condition on Tuesday but succumbed to her injuries, according to Sussex Police.
The incident claimed the lives of her father, Hassan El-Khawas, 55; her mother, Zeina Alayn, 37; and her 14-year-old sister, Sara El-Khawas, all of whom died at the scene after encountering difficulty in the water at Shoreham-by-Sea.
The family, who resided in London, had travelled to the beach amid a heatwave gripping the United Kingdom.
An investigation remains ongoing, though authorities have indicated the current working theory is a “tragic accident, with no third-party involvement.”
The Daily Telegraph reported, citing the Palestinian embassy, that the family originated from the Rashidieh refugee camp in southern Lebanon. Hassan El-Khawas reportedly arrived in the UK as a refugee after living in Rashidieh, one of Lebanon’s most populous Palestinian camps.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham described the events as a “terrible family tragedy,” while the Palestinian Forum in Britain held a commemorative gathering for the family on Thursday.
The deaths come amid a surge in drownings across Europe as residents seek relief from soaring temperatures, with similar incidents reported in France, Germany, and the UK.