Gaza City, Palestine – The sound of grief echoes through the streets of Gaza as families return to their homes, many of them shattered by the recent conflict. Among them is Aya Hassouna, a woman marked by loss and sorrow, who now faces the world alone after a devastating Israeli attack claimed the lives of her husband, Abdullah, and their two young children, Hamza and Raghad.
On August 9, as the family prepared for a day trip to the beach in search of respite from the ongoing violence, tragedy struck. Aya recalls the moment vividly: a powerful explosion, followed by smoke, and then the heartbreaking sight of her children lying lifeless on the ground. Abdullah, who had gone out to buy treats for the outing, was also killed in the attack.
Since that day, Aya has struggled to cope with the overwhelming grief. "I am trying to endure the separation," she shared, her voice heavy with sorrow. The journey back to her home in the as-Saftawi neighborhood of Gaza City was fraught with painful memories. As part of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, Aya and many others returned to the north after months of displacement in the south. She carried with her the clothes of her husband and children, remnants of a life that once was.
The return was a stark reminder of her loss. "Sadness was eating away at my heart," Aya reflected, as she witnessed families reunited, while she walked alone. Upon arriving at her family’s home, she found solace in reuniting with her mother but remained haunted by the memories of her loved ones.
In a similar vein, Jawaher Shabeer also faced the heartache of returning to a home without her son, Walid. At 26, Walid had left their temporary shelter in Rafah in search of work to support his family during the dire conditions they faced. Tragically, he was shot by the Israeli army in Khan Younis, leaving Jawaher to grapple with her grief alone.
As she prepared for her return to Gaza City, Jawaher visited Walid’s grave, overwhelmed by sorrow. "How will I meet my daughters and granddaughters in Gaza City without Walid, that kind young man, that companion of mine?" she lamented.
The ongoing conflict has taken a staggering toll, with reports indicating that over 61,700 Palestinians have lost their lives, including more than 17,400 children. The stories of Aya and Jawaher reflect the profound impact of this violence, as countless families navigate the painful process of returning home, often without the loved ones they once held dear. The scars of war are evident not just in the physical destruction but also in the emotional turmoil that these individuals carry as they attempt to rebuild their lives in a landscape forever altered by conflict.