Khan Younis, Gaza Strip – It was 1am when the group of first responders in Khan Younis acquired the decision – there had been an Israeli air raid close by.
Alongside together with his colleagues, Sayyed Mohammed Abu Jamei rushed to the location and began digging by means of the rubble to search out any survivors. In the course of scrabbling frantically by means of the particles, Sayyed discovered himself trying on the physique of his personal brother, Hussein.
Within the early hours of October 24, shocked and grief-stricken, he listened as a close-by wailing grew louder – earlier than realising it was coming from himself.
Hussein’s mom, his spouse Hadeel Abu Abed and their youngsters all rushed to the hospital. They arrived just a few moments earlier than he was buried, managing solely a rushed closing farewell inside a dangerously overcrowded morgue.
“That they had one minute to say goodbye,” mentioned Sayyed, 46. “The kids have been in a position to kiss him. However his spouse and my mom solely checked out him for the final time.
“My mom wished she may kiss him, however she couldn’t due to the group.”
Speaking to Al Jazeera within the hospital’s ready space, Sayyed’s eyes drifted as he tried to sum up who his brother was: “He was respectable, he was level-headed, he was well mannered,” he repeated, time and again.
Hussein was solely 32 when he died – killed by an Israeli missile that hit a residential neighbourhood in southern Khan Younis the place he was sheltering with buddies and prolonged relations.
His dream was to repay some loans he had taken to construct a small residence above his guardian’s home and to purchase a automotive. Ultimately, he wished to save lots of up sufficient to purchase a chunk of land to construct an even bigger home for his spouse, three youngsters, and unborn child.
He typically informed his brother how a lot wished his youngsters to have a spot the place they might create lovely recollections. To attain this dream, Hussein labored lengthy hours as a driver, doing odd jobs from nightfall to daybreak within the besieged Gaza Strip.
“My brother was a type of individuals who you want to from the second you met,” Sayyed mentioned. “He had an ease and calm about him that might draw individuals to him.”
Twenty days earlier than he was killed, Hussein had taken his pregnant spouse and three youngsters, Abdallah, 10, Ahmed, 7, and Hoda, three, to remain at his in-laws’ residence in Bani Souhaila, additional south within the strip.
He had additionally left the household’s residence within the east of Khan Younis and moved to the south of town.
A household torn aside
After they fell in love, Hadeel and Hussein had already been neighbours for some time.
That they had a standard Palestinian wedding ceremony, full with a zaffeh (wedding ceremony procession) and have celebrated their wedding ceremony anniversary yearly.
“Hadeel was every little thing to him,” Sayyed mentioned. “He cherished and revered her, and tried to supply her with every little thing she wanted.
“The day every of his youngsters was born, Hussein was overjoyed and distributed sweets within the neighbourhood to share his pleasure,” Sayyed added.
“Hussein had a particular bond together with his children. He was a toddler at coronary heart and doted on his youngsters regardless of the hardships of his life.
“He made positive to take outing of his busy day to play with them and to do the issues they favored to do. He even used to play with them on the street.”
Hussein missed his youngsters terribly through the interval they have been separated, Sayyed mentioned. He tried to go see them as typically as he may – the final time was on the day earlier than he was killed. Regardless of the hazard, he checked additionally on his dad and mom within the al-Zana district in japanese Khan Younis, 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) away, each two to a few days.
“Hussein had a really heat and loving relationship with my dad and mom and siblings. He was very hooked up to his children and spouse. God assist them. He would ensure that to assist the youngsters with their homework, he wished them to excel. He would name them ‘Dr Abdallah’, ‘Dr Hoda’,” Sayyed mentioned, his voice trembling.
Requested about how Hussein’s spouse was doing, he mentioned despairingly: “We have now 10,000 martyrs in Gaza. She reacted like all of the individuals who have misplaced family members.”
Sombre and exhausted, Sayyed considered what his brother would have wished if he had lived.
“He wasn’t a person of grand ambitions. He wished what a mean younger man his age wished: to be content material, have a good life, and stay in peace.”
This text was produced in collaboration with Egab.
