I got mad yesterday. I could not reach my sister, Samia, who lives in Sabra neighbourhood in Gaza city. Her apartment is very close to UNRWA headquarters which was hit by Israeli occupation forces phosphorous shells when they pushed deeper into Gaza City. I tried in vain to reach her by phone. I tried all her numbers, the landline, the mobile, her husband mobile, her neighbor land line etc but there was no answer. What would be the reasons? What happened to them? Are they still alive? Or what? Did they evacuate the house and run for their life looking for a safer place? But there is no safe place in Gaza anymore. So what could be the reason?
She is due in ten days. Her family already suffers from acute shortage of water and food supplies. There have no electricity but only an hour today, no cooking gas and no candles. The batteries of the radio are getting so weak. They have almost nothing but their will, dignity and steadfastness. Last time when I called her she told me many stories.
Among these stories was about Her children who are getting so scared from the bombardment. It reached the stage that her daughter, Noor, aged14, locked the flat door and hid the key so that her dad doesn’t go to the mosque for Friday prayer. The girl thinks that if he goes he won’t return. She is right. Tens of people were killed in mosques, many in market. Others were killed in schools and some in hospitals. The United Nations centers have been shelled. All the places that suppose to be safe places are shelled. Then where is she?
After several attempts, I reached my family in Khan Younis. Like me they were too worried about Samia. But when they released the state that I am at My mother started to calm me down saying that it is communication problem. And while realizing that this justification is accurate particularly after the Israeli shelled all the power units and all stations that strengthen the reception, I remained worried.
Nasser my husband called me. Before uttering any word, I asked him what happened. He said bad news. I said what? He said his cousin Shihda in Rafah was killed. Shihda, A bright engineer aged 28 was the third son to be killed to the family during this Intifada. How would be the situation of his mother now? I was with her when her son Karam, aged 13 killed in 2000. How will she cope? What shall I tell her when I call her? What words? What prayers? What and then what? May Allah be with her.
Al-jazeera broadcasted a scream of woman saying that a pregnant lady has been killed in their building. With the woman there were 3 children. Could she be my sister? She is pregnant and she has 3 children. I got mad again.I had another telephone call. It was Our neighbor, Ashraf, in Zahra town that is very close to what used to be Netazarim colony or settlement. Asraf, flat was bombed and he ask if he can live in our flat. Of course i said. You should not call me for such thing. Consider it your home. Then he said can Saeb family stay as well. I said of course. Then the call ended as the battery was too weak.
Then another call. I was so scared to take it. I was afraid to get mote terrible news. I was hesitant and so scared to take the call and therefore I missed it. Then I collapsed crying. Then I had a text message. It was from my sister Lubna in Khan younis. She wrote 5 words “don’t worry, Samia is safe.” With these words my tears fall like a river. Thank god. Thank God.
She is due in ten days. Her family already suffers from acute shortage of water and food supplies. There have no electricity but only an hour today, no cooking gas and no candles. The batteries of the radio are getting so weak. They have almost nothing but their will, dignity and steadfastness. Last time when I called her she told me many stories.
Among these stories was about Her children who are getting so scared from the bombardment. It reached the stage that her daughter, Noor, aged14, locked the flat door and hid the key so that her dad doesn’t go to the mosque for Friday prayer. The girl thinks that if he goes he won’t return. She is right. Tens of people were killed in mosques, many in market. Others were killed in schools and some in hospitals. The United Nations centers have been shelled. All the places that suppose to be safe places are shelled. Then where is she?
After several attempts, I reached my family in Khan Younis. Like me they were too worried about Samia. But when they released the state that I am at My mother started to calm me down saying that it is communication problem. And while realizing that this justification is accurate particularly after the Israeli shelled all the power units and all stations that strengthen the reception, I remained worried.
Nasser my husband called me. Before uttering any word, I asked him what happened. He said bad news. I said what? He said his cousin Shihda in Rafah was killed. Shihda, A bright engineer aged 28 was the third son to be killed to the family during this Intifada. How would be the situation of his mother now? I was with her when her son Karam, aged 13 killed in 2000. How will she cope? What shall I tell her when I call her? What words? What prayers? What and then what? May Allah be with her.
Al-jazeera broadcasted a scream of woman saying that a pregnant lady has been killed in their building. With the woman there were 3 children. Could she be my sister? She is pregnant and she has 3 children. I got mad again.I had another telephone call. It was Our neighbor, Ashraf, in Zahra town that is very close to what used to be Netazarim colony or settlement. Asraf, flat was bombed and he ask if he can live in our flat. Of course i said. You should not call me for such thing. Consider it your home. Then he said can Saeb family stay as well. I said of course. Then the call ended as the battery was too weak.
Then another call. I was so scared to take it. I was afraid to get mote terrible news. I was hesitant and so scared to take the call and therefore I missed it. Then I collapsed crying. Then I had a text message. It was from my sister Lubna in Khan younis. She wrote 5 words “don’t worry, Samia is safe.” With these words my tears fall like a river. Thank god. Thank God.
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