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A man from Palestine has reported losing 103 members of his family, which includes his three daughters, due to Israel’s relentless bombing of Gaza.
On December 8, an Israeli missile hit the residence of Ahmad al-Ghuferi’s family in Gaza City, while he was residing 80km away in the town of Jericho in the occupied West Bank.
Mr Ahmed was on a phone call with his wife, Shireen, when a large bomb attack on his uncle’s house killed his wife and three daughters.
He informed the BBC that she was aware of her impending death. She asked for forgiveness for any wrong she may have caused him. He reassured her that there was no need for apologies. Their final conversation concluded with those words, as shared by Mr Ahmed.
His mother and four of his siblings were among the 100+ people who died in the attack. Some of the victims’ remains are still buried in the debris. The oldest person who died was 98 years old, while the youngest was only nine days old at the time of the attack, according to survivors.
Unfortunately, Mr. Ahmed was not able to be present at the rushed funerals of his children and is currently struggling to come to terms with the tragedy. Recently, he observed his youngest daughter’s birthday, who would have been two years old.
After an Israeli attack on the Shaheen family home in Rafah, Palestinians take in the survivors.
(C) 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
“I view my daughters as small, precious beings. It feels like I’m living in a dream. I am still in disbelief about what has happened to us,” he shared with the broadcaster.
According to his neighbors, Mr. Ahmed was informed that his family quickly went to his uncle’s house nearby after a missile hit the entrance. Shortly after, his house was targeted by a fighter jet.
Mr. Ahmed’s relative, Hamid al-Ghuferi, shared with the BBC that during the strikes, only those who fled up the hill were able to survive.
“It was like a ring of fire. The four houses beside ours were being targeted,” he recounted. “Each house was attacked every 10 minutes.”
According to the health ministry in the region, the ongoing retaliatory strike by Israel against Hamas fighters in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of at least 30,000 Palestinian individuals. The assault has extensively damaged the area and caused millions to face the threat of starvation.
The Israeli military operation was prompted by a terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7 in southern Israel that resulted in the deaths of 1,200 Israelis. Hamas also took 253 people as hostages, and most of them are still being held.
The UN recently cautioned that a potential Israeli attack on Rafah, located in the southern part of Gaza, could severely impede aid distribution in the already besieged area.
The secretary general of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, stated that a potential full-scale attack in the southern city of Gaza, where 1.5 million out of 2.3 million residents are seeking refuge, would not only be frightening for those trapped inside but also jeopardize aid programs.
The Israeli army has presented to Israel’s war cabinet its dual invasion and evacuation plan for Rafah, according to prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Monday.
Israel has indicated its determination to continue operations in the southern city, despite objections from its ally, the US, and the international community. The plan, which has not been publicly announced, was presented.
Source: independent.co.uk
