Children Testimonies: Oh God don’t Deprive Me of My Father!
Children Testimonies: Days of Horror
Oh God do not Deprive Me of My Father!
A new day of the tragic days lived by us the children of Gaza. It is the beginning of aggression. I won’t write much, but I will speak with words that will be understood by any person with dignity and humanity.
The shelling on Rafah city was very strong. Before the ground operation I heard the sound of an explosion which shook the ground underneath us, as if the ground was moving. Not an hour passed without my hearing the sound of bombing, shelling and the sounds of the children screams. Death is everywhere and there is no safe place.
People ran away from every place in our area, though, they don’t know where they were going. We escaped to the city of Khan Younis to relatives where we thought it would be safer.
We escaped death but found death in front of us. Few hours after our arrival, Israeli airplanes attacked al Astal family; to my horror I saw the child and woman torn apart. It is the first time I see this and it was repeated in my dreams, the woman and child don’t leave me when I am awake.
After many days of suffering and massacres committed by the Zionist occupation we heard of a truce. My father and some of our relatives went to al - Shawka area to see how the situation is if it is safe; before reaching there, everything changed; bombing everywhere from planes and tanks. We heard that the truce was violated and there is a large number of martyrs and wounded.
We started calling my father and uncle, but, both mobiles were closed. No one answers, everyone started screaming and tears drowned the faces. After minutes one of our relatives called my mother and told her that my father had fallen martyr and she was astounded. My father has left me! My heart cried and my tears came down, all water and blood were drained from my body.
A miracle happened. At ten o’clock in the evening my father called and told us he was in a safe place and alive. Oh God do not deprive me of my father!
Abd el Hadi Al Hissi (14 Years)
Al-Shawka Rafah Library
Translated by Hadi Ruhayyem
