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 the rubble to seek out any survivors. In the midst of scrabbling frantically by the particles, Sayyed discovered himself wanting 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.
“They had one minute to say goodbye,” mentioned Sayyed, 46. “The youngsters have been in a position to kiss him. However his spouse and my mom solely checked out him for the final time.
“My mother wished she could kiss him, but she couldn’t because of the crowd.”
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 decent, he was level-headed, he was polite,” he repeated, again 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 father or mother’s home and to purchase a automotive. Ultimately, he wished to save lots of up sufficient to purchase a bit of land to construct a much 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 may create lovely reminiscences. To realize this dream, Hussein labored lengthy hours as a driver, doing odd jobs from nightfall to daybreak within the besieged Gaza Strip.
“My brother was one of those people who you would like from the moment you met,” Sayyed mentioned. “He had an ease and calm about him that would draw people 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 the 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 marriage ceremony, full with a zaffeh (marriage ceremony procession) and have celebrated their marriage ceremony anniversary yearly.
“Hadeel was everything to him,” Sayyed mentioned. “He cherished and revered her, and tried to supply her with all the things she wanted.
“The day each of his children was born, Hussein was overjoyed and distributed sweets in the neighbourhood to share his joy,” 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 sure to take time out of his busy day to play with them and to do the things they liked to do. He even used to play with them in the street.”
Hussein missed his youngsters terribly throughout 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 jap Khan Younis, 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) away, each two to a few days.
“Hussein had a very warm and loving relationship with my parents and siblings. He was very attached to his kids and wife. God help them. He would make sure to help the children with their homework, he wanted them to excel. He would call them ‘Dr Abdallah’, ‘Dr Hoda’,” Sayyed mentioned, his voice trembling.
Requested about how Hussein’s spouse was doing, he mentioned despairingly: “We have 10,000 martyrs in Gaza. She reacted like any of the people who have lost loved ones.”
Sombre and exhausted, Sayyed thought of what his brother would have wished if he had lived.
“He wasn’t a man of grand ambitions. He wanted what an average young man his age wanted: to be content, have a decent life, and live in peace.”
This text was produced in collaboration with Egab.