Victims From Gaza

8/14/2019 Victims From Gaza

1/29

VI

STO

COUR

TIMS FROM GAZA

RIES NEED JUSTICE

IS THE ONLY WAY TO JUSTICE

ANNEXES TO GAZAFROM MISSION


2/29

Name of Victim: Ahmed Fawaz Saleh

Age: 5 years old

Sex: Male

Date of Injury or Death: January 17, 2009

Place of Injury or Death: His house, In Jabalia, north of Gaza

Cause Injury or Death: Israeli missile pounding his house at the Barn Roundabout

Details of the last hours:

In Jabalia, north Gaza, loud laughs and a lot of play noise came from a small house. Their mother looked at the

faces of her four innocent children, the oldest was 8. while trying to find a way to save them from the ongoing

war everywhere in Gaza. She thought her sister's house, which was not far from hers, might be a safer place

for her children, the pupils of her eyes.

She actually took the first step to carry out her decision. She packed their clothes but no sooner had theystepped out of their room than the Israeli tanks centered on Al-Kashef hill in Gaza pounded their room and

killed two of her children. In a few minutes, the scene was the most excruciating one for the mother. The

situation for the bereft mother was indescribable. She could hardly speak about her catastrophe after her son

Ahmed, 5 years, and Fawzia, her only daughter, were killed. The other two children were under treatment

along with their father. The aunt described the scene my sister had exerted all her efforts to resist the plumes

of smoke to find her little four children, but finally she collapsed in front of their torn bodies

With grief the mother remembers Ahmed, the youngest of the three sons, He was quiet and obedient. He

conceded to my instructions immediately. When I asked him to keep quiet or to stop playing with his sister

Fawzia, he immediately complied Like all Gazan children, Ahmed was afraid of everything the occupation

forces did. He used to stick to his mother and pull at her dress's tail in fear of her leaving him alone.

Whenever he heard the sound of missiles and rockets, Ahmed cried a lot out of fear, grabbed his sister,

Fawzia, and ran to me. the mother says.

His Dreams:

Going to kindergarten was Ahmed's dream, I will go to the kindergarten Mum with my cousin AbdullahI will

spend all my pocket money and bring you and Fawzia sweets every day. The mother says his dream will

never come trueAll alone I keep dreaming of them day after daysee them in my dreams play and laugh, but

in fact they have gone leaving me all alone; and they will never come back again.


3/29

Name of Victim: Maryam Nizar Rayan

Age:10 years old

Sex: Female

Date of Injury or Death: January 1 2009

Place of Injury or Death: Her house, In Jablia Camp, North Gaza Strip

Cause Injury or Death: Israeli F16 missile pounded her house


Under a blue sky, Maryam Nizar Rayyan, 10 years old, played with her eleven brothers and sisters on the roof

of their house, in the company of her father and his four wives. On the 4th day of the Israeli assault on Gaza,

innocent Maryam heard the sound of the Israeli F16 planes and looked at the sky, but never expected that

those planes came to put an end to her childhood as well as to the lives of many members of her family who

were at home at that time.

On the 1st day of the New Year 2009, at 02:00 pm, Israeli F16 planes targeted the Rayyans's house with three

missiles. The whole house was ruined and collapsed on the heads of its residents. Maryam was killed along with

13 members of her family; the father and his four wives in addition to 7 of her sisters and brothers. No one of

the family had survived but 3 brothers who were not at the house then.

Maryyam and the other family bodies were picked up from under the rubble. Dr. Mu`awiya Hassanein (the

manager of ambulance and emergency in Gaza) says, Most of the bodies of the Rayyans were found distorted,

which indicates how much violent the bomb was. More than 10 thousands mourners attended the funeral of

the Rayyans the following day.

Maryam was loved a lot by her father who asked her mother to sew a beautiful dress especially for her.

Maryam was over the moon with her new dress; she wore it every time she went to play outside her home.

Amid all the girls of the district, Maryam attracted the attention of everybody by her innocence and beauty in

that dress.

Her Dreams:

Belal, Maryams Brother, remembers Maryam was very polite; she called my wife as aunt and addressed the

old with titles. She was very hard worker who taught her class mates some subjects, especially English, upon

the request of her teachers. Maryam spoke a lot with everybody, but I loved her talking about the big dream of

gaining her postgraduate studies she was the only one of the Rayyans' who wished to study medicine.

Belal adds Maryam, the promising pupil of the fourth grade, dreamt of a better tomorrow and future and

eagerly awaited the moment she can go back to her school and kept saying when I come back to school, I will


4/29

do this and that. Yet, the occupation forces deprived her of her dream and from a peaceful life like all other

children across the world.

Mona, Belals daughter, misses Maryam a lot; she talks to her mother about Maryam May Allah rest her soul;

she was so kind and patiently taught her friends. Maryam observed all prayers in the mosque of her district.

After Al-Asr (Afternoon prayer) she used to memorize the Noble Quran with her friends.

When the assault on Gaza came to an end, Mona went to the school for the first time after the death of

Maryam and all her uncles. Standing before the pupils in the class, Maryams teacher could not control her

tears and mourned her most promising pupil, Maryam.

Name of Victim: Omar Mahmoud Ahmed El-Bardei

Age:11 years old

Sex: MaleDate of Injury or Death: January 4, 2009

Place of Injury or Death: El-Dahadeeh neighborhood at Agleen, North Gaza

Cause Injury or Death: Shot by heavy gun fires from Israeli tank


On January 4, El-Dahadeeh neighborhood at Agleen, North Gaza, had a difficult time when Israeli tanks

entered the region. On that day, an ambulance came to this isolated agricultural region to save the lives of

some wounded people. The ambulance stopped before El-Bardei house asking about the address. Om-

Mahmoud had no choice but to send her son to show the ambulance team the way to their destination.

Few meters after Omar walked with the ambulance team, the Israeli tanks deployed at the place bombarded

the ambulance with a stream of heavy gun fires and put an end to Omars little steps. The ambulance team

and Omars bodies were mangled and scattered in the agricultural fields.

Hearing about the ruthless massacre, the regions residents were terrified and moved to some other place that

might be safer. But, Om-Mahmoud conceded to the voice of her heart and stayed to collect her sons torn parts

scattered everywhere. After Omars brothers had left the house, the mother started to search for Omars

remains, but in vain. Twenty four hours later, the Red Cross came to pick up the causalities and at the same

time Om-Mahmoud returned to look again for her dead sons remains. The scene was shocking and

excruciating. He was a kid who went to show an ambulance the way to get to the wounded, but why were theykilled?!

More Information:


5/29

Omar, 11 years old, was a six grade student in a primary school. There were many characteristics that

distinguished him from his peers. The mother said Omar was so content with his l ife. If his pocket money was

available, he took it and went to school, if not; he contented himself with the situation. If he wanted to go on a

school trip, I gave him a part of the fees required and he tried to provide the remaining sum on his own., the

mother added He was calm and obedient, I never felt tired of his bringing uphe memorized two parts of the

Noble Quran and divided his time between two mosques, Al-Sabreen and Omar-Ibn-Elkhatab

His Dreams:

Omars dream was not impossible; he wished to be a teacher in one of Gazas schools. In fact, it was more

than a dream; Omar exerted much effort to achieve his goal since he gathered his nephews in his own house

and played the role of a teacher. He, also, spared no effort to get full marks in all his school subjects.

Missing Omar and yearning to see him once more tormented the mother who failed to erase Omars picture

coming from school from her memory; she imagined him open the house door, step towards her, kiss her hand

and help her prepare lunch. Owing to my grief at the death of my two murdered sons Musab and Zaid, I have

been suffering from some diseases. Omar felt sorry for me and used to share in the housework; he cooked the

food for me, handed me the medicineshe was my right arm. Oh! Allahthey killed him coldbloodedly.

Omar adored the school activities and was a scout. He took part in the healthy school activities and had a white

uniform which he cared much for and washed by himself. Omars mother said whenever I saw him in that

white uniform, I felt as if he were a real doctor and I prayed he would be. Everyone who knew Omar felt deep

sorrow and pain after the death of such a distinguished child. Not only are Omars mother and brothers deeply

tormented by his death, but his teachers, school headmaster and school mates as well.

Hassan Atta Azaam

Age: 22 months

Gender: Male

Date of Death: Jan. 6,2009

Cause of Death: Tank's shell


When Hassan and his father died he was clinging to his father; so when their bodies came into pieces, the

doctors hardly could separate them from each other. This was a well known story at Al-Najar Hospital in Gaza.

In the morning Hassan, 22 months, was very hungry, he awakened his mother to breastfeed him. The mother

couldn't hold Hassan to feed him since she had not slept all the night because of the non-stop shelling. What


6/29

interrupted her sleep was the worst nightmare she ever had in her life. She was losing her husband and kids.

Hassan's father noticed that his kid was hungry; he took him to the kitchen in order to prepare something for

him to eat. The father started to boil the milk and cut bread for his son. When he went out of the house to

bring water Hassan followed him hoping to get the food; all of a sudden a shell hit both of them. In a fraction

of a minute they died.

Mother got up to the screams of her elder son Bakr to see Hassan's torn body. She remained in shock.

Other information:

Hassan was very young and all his attitudes were innocent. He loved his father and his grand mother so much.

He did not get enough time to grow up and develop his hobbies and abilities in agriculture. His father had

predicted his young son would be one day an agricultural engineer.

Abd El Rahman Muhammed Ashour

Age: 12 years old

Gender: Male

Date of Death: January 7, 2009

Place of Death: Near his house, Al Zaitoun District, east of Gaza

Cause of Death: Israeli reconnaissance aircraft missile


Abd El Rahman had a very kind heart; he went early to feed the sheep of his father in spite of Israeli shelling.

He did not care though he had heard reports that Israel is targeting the civilians; the only thing he was worried

about was the hungry sheep. He was thinking that sheep could die starving, but unfortunately he was the one

who died, not because of hunger, but because of an Israel missile which tore his body into parts.

Other information:

Abd El Rahmans mother remembered the day or the two days before he died. She will never forget every

single word he was saying to her as if he felt that he was going to die. He asked his mother, "Mum, if I died,

would you be sad?" She answered in tears: "Of course, this is something that could break any mum's heart ".

Before he died he asked his mother a lot of alerting questions such as if he died what she would do with his

candy which he was selling, would she sell it or give it to his brothers and friends. He did not calm down, until


7/29

his mother told him that she would give them to his friends and brothers. At that moment he felt that it could

be a charity which God will reward him for it!

Abd El Rahman used to start his day with Fajr prayer and end it with a religious lecture.

His Dream: His dreams were not so big: he only dreamt of finishing his education and getting an appropriate

ob. So he could provide for his family.

Victim's Name: Bara Ramiz El Daia

Age: 2 years old

Gender: Male


Place of Death: His house, Al Zaitoun district, East Gaza

Cause of Death: F16 missile hit his four storey house


Every evening Baraa was pushed to leave his grandfather house and the family gathering there which he loved

so much as it was time for him to go to bed upstairs. Baraas father tried to convince him that he had to sleep

because the Israeli military has been deployed everywhere; his dad promised him to come back again to his

grandfathers gathering in the morning. Being Obedient Baraa surrendered to his fathers desire. After playing

a little with his sister, Salsabeel, Baraa fell in a deep sleep.

On the morning of 6th Jan. the Israeli F16 planes shot the houses of Baraa, his grandfather and all his uncles in

Al Zaitoun district, crumbling them all. The four floors, twenty three residents of Al Daia family, most of themwere women and children, were killed. No one of those who were in the house but uncle Amer had survived.

Uncle Reda who was not in the house at that time remembers how little Baraa loved everybody and rushed to

sit with whoever his grandmother brought food to. Reda says he was the life and soul of the family and

more than all my nephews, Baraa stayed most of the time at the family house.

Morover,, aunt Om-Jihad remembers the family gathering and how she enjoyed watching Baraa when he felt

ealous of his sister, Salsabeel; Sometimes he played with her and at other times he beat her. She says he

was lovable and tactful child who was loved by everyone. No one got into our house without having Baraa pla

with him after awhile.

Baraaa father is a mechanic who wished his son would be well-educated so as to fulfill his dream and achieve a

high social position. Aunt Jihad adds Baraa was so much loved by his father who wished him to be excellent

at school and memorize many parts of The Noble Quran


8/29

Bashaar Samir Naji

Age: 14 years old

Gender: male


Place of Injury or Death: Western wall of al Fakhura School Jbaliya camp north Gaza

Cause of Injury or Death: Shells from Israeli Air force F-16


" Bashaar Naji's and his son's group " , Bashaar's villa " ," Eng. Bashaar Naji " are banners for big dreams that

Bashaar hoped to achieve when he would graduate from al - Fakhura school. But on the ground of the same

school he died when he and a number of refugees were hurled by a barrage of Israeli shells.

The 6th of January was not a school day for Bashaar as the war was still ongoing on Gaza, but he went there

as his father asked him to give water to the refugees. So Bashaar obeyed his father with no hesitated.

When he reached the school Bashaar could not escape from the shelling that tore his lungs and guts.

His mother says: "when I hurried up to the shelling place, the smoke was dense, and causalities were many, so

I couldn't see anything. The only thing I've seen was Bashaar's face opening his eyes and smiling at me. It was

a really hard situation to know that Bashaar had gone"

Bashaar was carried by his neighbor Abu Tamer, but that was after his soul was already gone to meet her

creator on the ground of the street adjacent to his school. He was not the only one killed but also his friendsEmad Abu Askar, Ismail Hewayla and Belal Ebied were.

Other Information:

Bashaar was a student in the second grade junior high school, he used to get excellent grades, although his

continuity of working with his father in a shop owned by his family for repairing car tires..

His mother who suffered from the pain of his farewell described him saying: "He was the dearest son of my

children to me. He used to help me with every thing "

Bashaar's bereaved mother added that: "when he was six, he was dreaming of building a villa, but he

pronounced it wrongly saying "I'll build vanilla". He is now in a better place than the villa he dreamed of. He is

now in a palace in Paradise, inshaa Allah"


9/29

Samar Bashaar's sister says:" Bashaar was funny. He got a great sense of humor, he was also very reasonable,

when it was time for seriousness you found him serious, but when it was time to have fun he was funny. He

liked to ask about everything. He always asked me about universities. He wanted to know the best and most

demanded study fields in order to be well prepared for a career. He left a memory in every corner at home. "

His Dreams: His mother says:" Bashaar was very distinguished; he scored no less than 93%, in al his study

subjects. He was dreaming to be successful in his work, he left, and his dreams gone with him. I am dreaming

of him all the time.

Fawzia Fawaz Saleh

Age: 3 years old

Gender: Female


Place of Injury or Death: In her house, Jabaliya, north Gaza

Cause of Injury or Death: Targeted shells hit her family's house


it was 2pm when Fawzias mother wanted to put her kids in a safe place, but unfortunately it was too late to do

that as Israel started to shell her house. Two of her kids were injured and the third died.

An Israeli tank centered on top of al Kashef Mountain and fired a shell, then after moments an Apache also

fired another missile. Everything was turned over. Fawzias mother could not be able to see her kids bodies

because of the heavy smoke and dust which filled the place there. When the fire and dust started to fade out,

the mother found two of her kids dead and the other two were in critical conditions.

Other Information:

Today Fawzias mother is sitting alone with her sister on the down floor of her destroyed house. Even if it was

not destroyed she would not sit in a house where she lost her kids Ahmed and Fawzia. The mother said:" in the

same time when I thought that I could save my kids by taking them out I lost them, there are no words to

describe what happened to me. They were with me but suddenly I lost all of them"

"Fawzia was the youngest baby; I was waiting for her impatiently to dress her jewelry and clothes, waiting for

her hair to be longer so I could comb it in different styles"

She added "I was dreaming of the day when Fawzia grows up and helps me with everything, but she is gone"


10/29

Fawzias last birthday album survived the shelling, but her aunt hid it from her mother.

Fawzia's aunt said:" I had to hide the kid's pictures away from my sister, as she is crying all the time even

without seeing those pictures. She is alone now and she is in a very bad condition"

Aseel Mu`een Deib

Age: 10 years old

Gender: Female


Place of Death: Her family's house, near El-Fakhura school, Jibalia in northern Gaza Strip.

Cause of Death: Targeted Israeli shells hit her family house Family.


The horrific accident that happened on 6 January at the last hours of the afternoon, in the court yard of Deibs'house in Jibalia, forced the young kids inside the house to run out. They were shocked when saw the torn

bodies scattered every where. The mother, grandmother, uncle and his son were killed while they were

seeking warmth in a cold night of the winter under the non-stop war shells.

Aseel and her brothers were terrified when they looked at their mother's torn body; her mother had just

finished baking using carton and wood due to the circumstances of war and Gaza blockade. Aseel could do

nothing after she saw her mother dead. She had no time even to cry; minutes after she herself fell martyr as

Israeli troops fired a new targeted shell to their house yard to kill more. Aseel and all her brothers died at once.

Only her elder brother Bakr survived because he was not at home at that time; he was on his way to return the

oven to his aunt.

Other information:

Aseel was in the fourth grade; she was the most intelligent child in comparison with her brothers. She always

got "Excellent" grade .

Aseel had a very special relationship with her sister Alaa, according to what her brother Bakr says: "I

remembered every day when Alaa wake up at morning to comb Aseel's hair in a very special style and she

used to help her with her study"

He added," we used to gather every Friday but now I am all alone! They all have gone Even Aseel's friendsIslam and Badria who used to pass every day to play with her they are no longer passing by. They were

shocked for losing Aseel".


11/29

Her Dreams: Aseel's parents were very proud of her and wished to see her a doctor. However Aseel dreamed

of that too, every day she came back from the school she start acting like teacher. She always asked her

brothers and her friends to sit around here to teach them.

Name of Victim: Ghanima Sultan Fawzi Halawa

Age: 11 years old

Sex: Female


Place of Injury or Death: Her family's house in Yafa Street.

Cause Injury or Death: A shell shot by the Israeli occupying forces.

Details of the Last Hours:The conditions in Gaza have terrified all people. But mother of martyr Ghanima

worried about an additional issue. The mother saw a vision about her mother in law asking her husband to

bring her some "kunafah" (a kind of sweets), and sought a special kind which is very slender and delicious.

That dream was interpreted that some member of the family will die, and it came true; it was her daughter,

Ghanima.

Like all inhabitants of the area, Ghanima's mother evacuated and left her house. Two days later she went back

home to wash clothes there and Ghanima followed her. When the mother finished washing she started to hang

the washing on the clothesline, while Ghanima stood by the door carrying her baby sister Sujoud whom she

loved very much, waiting for her mother to finish and go together to her grandfather's house.

Ghanima stayed at the door for some time looking to each part of the house as if she was saying farewell to it.

Her mother followed her and asked her to wait until they went out together. Yet Ghanima replied: "You are

worried about me mum! You took your fill of me today, and I gave you your kiss. Now I yearn to be

a martyr."

Ghanima's mother cried when she heard these words. After five minutes Ghanima's supplication was answered

as she was killed on Friday at the house door with an Israeli shell.

The mother says: "my daughter ran quickly to see what happened, then she came back shouting

'Ghanima got martyred, mum; her hand is cut off and her body burntbut I don't see Sujoud'." The

shocked mother ran to the place of the crime, but she couldn't tolerate the monstrous scene and fainted.

Other Information: Ghanima fell martyr, while her beloved sister who was just a baby was thrown meters

away by force of strike and splinters penetrated her body, and a surgical operation will be done for her within a

month.

Ghanima's mother says: "As soon as I began washing the clothes Ghanima asked me to give her a

shower, and I did. Then she asked me to style her hair. It was strange of her as she used to style it


12/29

herself, and she said to me 'by Allah, mum, I like you style my hair for me today', so I did it. Then

she decided to change her clothes which she had just put on, saying 'I want to wear the clothes of

the Èid (festival)'. I refused because there was no time for that. Then I hurriedly sympathized

with her and told her to wear whatever she liked. She wore a jeans and a woolen blouse and kissed

me."

Ghanima was the third one among Sultan's seven children; however she was the most beloved by her mother,

who says: "she was very intelligent, and unlike her sisters she used to obey me at once."

Her Dreams: Like most of Gaza girls, Ghanima dreamt to build a beautiful house with her husband where she

would bring up her children after completing her studies.

Name of Victim: Mustafa Muèen Deib

Age: 13 years old

Sex: male


Place of Injury or Death: His family's house, near El-Fakhura school, Jibalia in northern Gaza Strip

Cause Injury or Death:Israeli shells aimed at the house of the Deib Family.

Details of the Last Hours:Just before afternoon, January 6, 2009, Bakr Deib 20 years old asked his

brother Mustafa 13 years old - to fetch some carton from the street for his mother to bake some bread,

amidst the hard times suffered in Gaza on the tenth day of the Israeli assault. Mustafa went to do what he was

asked to, but unusually he was late. This was because he and his fellows went to see the house of Abu Àskar,

which was bombarded the night before.

Then Mustafa went home carrying a small piece of carton and smiling he said to his mother and brother "I

haven't found more pieces". When his mother finished baking, Mustafa went to the second floor of the house

leaving his mother, grandmother, uncle and cousin in the front courtyard. Just a few seconds later the boy ran

down to find their bodies torn and covered in blood. A few minutes later a second shell killed Mustafa and his

brothers, who fell martyrs except for Bakr.

His father says: "Mustafa, my dear boy! I had great ambitions for him. I dreamt that he would travel

to his uncles in Germany to complete his study and acquire a high scientific degree."

The father adds: "Mustafa was a very joyful boy; he was kind hearted with a high sense of humor.

Everyone loved him and whenever we were invited to a wedding, Mustafa was specially invited in

person to add a cheerful atmosphere to the party. Whenever we had some visitors, they looked forMustafa to some joke with him."


13/29

Mustafa's fellows in the neighborhood always debated about who would accompany Mustafa wherever he went.

Since he was a student in third primary grade, Mustafa liked mimicking. His brother Bakr says that Mustafa

was in the second year in El-Fakhura prep school with cousin Èsam who was martyred with him. He adds: "I

loved Mustafa very much! He used to help me and whenever I needed something from the house he

brought it to me at work. All the family loved Mustafa; he was the sweet of our house."

As for Mustafa's relation with his mother, his aunt says: "He was the most obedient to his mother. She

said that he was always active and used to bring most of the house needs." Mustafa cared a lot for his

appearance, as his aunt remarks, and he liked to look his best, especially that he was the smartest and most

cheerful of his brothers.

Mustafa along with his cousin Èsam and his neighbor Àhed Qidas fell martyrs, while the rest of their fellows

(Mu'ayyad, Hussein and Ashraf) are lamenting their beloved friends.

His brother Bakr says: "When I go to sleep, I remember the past days with Mustafa. We used to play

together and compete in writing games before we went to sleep. Now they are all dead and I am

alone without any of my brothersSufficient unto us is Allah! Most Excellent is He Whom we trust!"

Name of Victim: Hammad Silmiyah

Age: 13 years old

Sex: male

Date of Injury or Death: 14 February 2009

Place of Injury or Death: Northeast Gaza, about 500 meters from the border with Israel.

Weapon Type - An Israeli military jeep patrolling the border opened fire on him and his teenage friends.

Details of the Last Hours: "It was Saturday morning and Hammad woke up at six," says Hammad's aunt

Jomaia, 40. "He left with his brother and a couple of young friends to graze the animals. At around ten in the

morning Hammad was preparing some breakfast in the field like he always did. An Israeli military vehicle fired

at them and shot him in the head."

Hammad had left school just a few months ago to work full-time as a shepherd and help his family. "I tried to

force him to go back to school but all he cared about was working with the goats and riding his donkey," says

Jomaia.

"He was so good with animals. Whenever he came home from school, he'd throw his bag in the house and run

to be with the animals. The night before Hammad was killed I dreamt about a wedding ceremony, which in our

culture is a bad omen. When they told me Hammad was injured I knew that he had been killed because I had


14/29

seen him as a bridegroom in my dream."

- Belongings (photos, videos, diaries ): The only remaining photograph of him was taken when he was seven

years old. More recent photographs of him were lost in the rubble of his home.

Name of Victim: Ismaìl Abdullah Abu Sanimah

Age: 15 years old

Sex: male

Date of Death: Sunday, January 4, 2009; at 6:45

Place of Death: An empty area near his family's house, in his way back from a visit to his sister.

Cause of Death: Killed by an Israeli tank shell.


Like other inhabitants of the neighborhood, the family of martyr Ismaìl Abu Sanimah evacuated setting to

'Mirage' area until things come right; yet they ever did!

Marzuqah Àttiyah Abu Sanimah, the martyr's mother, says that some days after evacuation Ismaìl felt

nostalgic and yearned to see his beloved sister and her children. So he went, on Sunday, January 4, 2009, to

visit the family of his sister, whose house is just some hundred meters away from his family's house. Ismaìl

responded to the call of his predestined fate and set out to meet it. He asked his younger brother to

accompany him, but he refused and hid himself in a neighbors' house.

Ismaìl, on the other hand, spurred his horse to go faster so that he could see his sister and children and then

go back home to see his friends. Yet, he could not! His mother narrates that on his way back from his sister's

house, Ismaìl was shot by an Israeli tank shell while he was doing nothing but riding his horse. She added

that the tank shell shattered his entire body and burnt it.

She added that Ismaìl bled for an hour till he lost a lot of blood and no one could rescue him, so he died on

the ground along with his horse.

In the meanwhile, the Israeli occupying forces shot another tank shell into his sister's house, from where he

had just come out, killing his nephew as well.

Other Information:

Although Ismaìl was a teenager, he was not as reckless as his fellows. He was calm, kind, lovable to all. Hewas preoccupied, on one hand, with his study at the school of industrial technicians to learn a craft that could

enable him to improve the family's living conditions, and on the other hand, kept going to the mosque to listen


15/29

to the Quràn and religious lessons.

His friend Àbdullah Fawzy Abu Sanimah holds the same impression about Ismaìl, adding that he was noble-

minded and not aggressive to anybody. He had a good character and never said bad words even in his worst

conditions.

According to his mother's narration, Ismaìl always wished to be martyred. He used to talk to his mother about

that and few days before his death, he told her that he wished to die for Allah's Cause and wanted his photo to

be published at streets along with those of the martyr.

His last words to his mother were about their hard life at 'Al-Yahudyah' area on the borderlines with the

occupiers.

He described it "our life is torture", because with every hostile raid the occupying forces take his father and

elder brothers, devastating the house, terrifying children, questioning the all without a reason. Doing so, they

imbue people's hearts with terror and pain. "All people at 'Al-Yahudyah' area are exposed to killing anytime

without a guilt" said Ismaìl who met the same fate.

Name of Victim: Ghaida Abu Eisha

Age: 8 years old

Date of Death: Monday, January 5, 2009

Place of Death: Israeli missile struck her home in Shamali.

Details of the Last Hours: Ghaida was killed along with her parents and two brothers when an Israeli missile

struck her home.

Saber Abu Eisha, 49, the childrens uncle, said: "Ghaida was in the second grade at school. She was like anylittle girl, she was pretty, she loved to play. Sometimes she was laughing, sometimes she was crying. She liked

to dress up, wearing a brides dress, showing off."


16/29

Name of Victim: Lina Abdul Moniem Hassan

Age: 9 years old

Date of murder: January 6, 2009

Place of murder: Next to a UN school, al-Fakhora, in Jabaliya, east of Gaza.

Weapon used: Killed by an Israeli shell which hit her while she was walking. Other Information: Lina's father

Abdul Moniem, 37, said: "She asked me for a shekel to go to the shops to buy something for her and her

brothers and sisters,"

"I heard the shell and I ran out. I saw her body lying on the ground Was my daughter Hamas? Do you think

a 10-year-old even knows the difference between Hamas and Fatah?!"

Name of Victim: Abdul Rahim Abu Halima (wearing a yellow T-shirt in the

photo)

Age: 14 years old.

Date of murder: January 4,2009

Place of murder: Inside his home in Biet Lahiya, northern Gaza Strip

Weapon used: Israeli shells

Details of the last hours: Abdul Rahim was killed when his home was hit by a white phosphorous artillery

shell on 4 January. He died with two of his brothers, Zayed, eight, and Hamza, six, his sister Shahed, who was

15 months old, and their father Saad Allah, 45.

He was a very active boy, a little bit nervous sometimes, but he was good at football, said his brother

Mahmoud, 20. I loved him so much. He was a wonderful boy.

Name of Victim: Mohammad Shaqoura


17/29

Age: 9 years old.

Date of murder: January 6, 2009

Place of murder: At the UN school in Jabaliya north of Gaza

Weapon used: Israeli shells

Details of the last hours: While Mohammad was playing marbles in the street outside with his friends in the

middle of the afternoon, an Israeli shelling hit him.

"I went to help the injured. I didnt realize Mohammad was one of them," said Basim, Mohammad's father.

"I try to talk about him as much as possible with my other children. But its hard for them to understand."

Name of Victims Name: Àli Kamal Àli An-Nadr

Age: 10 years old

Gender: Male

Date of injury or death: January 10, 2009

Place of Death: Burj Es-Sultan, Jibalia.

Cause of injury or death: Killed by an Israeli tank shell.

Details of the last hours: Children of Gaza returned to school after the mid-year vacation, during which they

suffered the most hostile war in their history in the besieged strip. Àli Kamal An-Nadr did not return join his

friends back to school because he was killed on January 10, 2009.

Àli, a 10-year-old boy in the fifth year at 'An-Naqab' primary school in Jibalia, went with his elder brother

Àamer -16 years old- to perform maghrib prayer at 'As-Sayyeda Khadijah' mosque. Before Burj Es-Sultan in

their way to the mosque, Israeli tank shells aimed at them, killing Àli, Àamer, and another two kids from thesame place; their torn body parts scattered over the ground before the imam starts started the prayer. Also In

addition, some people who were going to perform prayer were injured, including the father of Àli's father and

Àamer, who went to the mosque three minutes before his kids.

Àli was the youngest son of Um Àbdullah; so he was much pampered. His mother says that Àli's behavior

was not as usual on his last days. Since the beginning of the Israeli assault he used to feel terrified whenever

he heard the sound of the rockets and aircrafts. A week later he changed; he used to tell me news about the

martyrs and injured people in the neighborhood. When I Ali's mother asked him about his fears, he answered

"I am no longer fearful".

Àli, the 10-year-old, was not an ordinary person. In the early days of the Israeli assault he was a real

humanitarian, but in his own style. He hurried to aid an injured person near his house and sought asking all the

house inhabitants to rescue him.


18/29

Um Àbdullah was not at home when her children were killed. She was in a visiting to her widowed sister when

her nephew whispering to his mother said that Àli was injured. Um Àbdullah requested asked the boy to

explain but he denied what happened for fear that the shock would be over her endurance. she might not stand

the shock.

In a hurry going home she heard a woman telling that both sons of Abu Àbdullah An-Nadr were martyred. Um

Àbdullah got startled and asked the woman about it, but the woman also denied that the injured were Um

Àbdullah's sons. Even though, Um Àbdullah had a strong feeling that something bad has befallen them. She

walked home praying to Allah to give her patience if something bad happened to her children or house.

Other Information:

Being the youngest of Abu Àbdullah's sons, Àli had great love for his elder brother Àamer; they shared a lot

of things. Àli used to fast in Ramadan since he was just 5 years old. During the Israeli assault he and his

brother Àamer were preoccupied with providing their family with water and bread although security conditions

were not available every strict. They were keen on offering help to relatives and neighbors as if they were aid

official workers.

His sister Zakiyya, who study studies Arabic language at the Islamic College, says she felt that Àli was strivingfor Allah's sake, and when she noticed a change in his behavior towards the ideal, she felt that something

would befall him.

Um Àbdullah once had seven children, but now she lost the youngest two Àli and Àamer.

She directs is sending a message to the world: "We are all due to Allah, and we will all return to Him! I

narrate this to the world to awake their conscience . I ask them what guilt those children have

to be killed for in such a way"

She adds: "I pray to Allah in all prostrations prostration to shake the earth under Israelis' feet as

they killed our children and prevented deprived me and mothers in Gaza from the apple pupils of

our eyes and the joy of our hearts."


19/29

Name of Victim: Halimah Nizar Rayyan

Age: 5 years old


Place of injury or death: Jibalia in northern Gaza Strip

Cause of injury or death: Israeli air strikes

Details of the Last Hours: At around 2 am, while the martyrs father was entering his house, Israeli f-16

aircrafts aimed at their house with a raid of 3 missiles. This totally destroyed the house that tumbled over the

heads of its inhabitants. The martyr 5 years old died with 13 members of the family that was comprised of

a father, four wives, and seven brother and sisters. Only three brothers, who were not at the house during the

raid, survived the bombing. The martyr and his family were picked up from under the rubble. Dr. Mu`awiya

Hassanein said that most of the family members were in fragments due to the violence of the raid. More than

ten thousand people joined the funeral of the martyr and his family the following day.

Other Information: At approximately 11:35 pm on the same day, Israeli aircraft raided the al-Khulafa

Mosque, which is located near Rayyans' house, destroying the mosque completely and damaging tens of

houses in the area, some for the second time on the same day.


20/29

Name of Victim: Amal Abed Rabbo

Age: two years old.

Date of murder: January 7,2009

Place of murder: Outside her family's five-storey house in the village of Izbit Abed Rabbo, in eastern Gaza.

Weapon used: shot dead by Israeli soldiers

Details of the last hours: Shortly after midday, soldiers from an Israeli tank ordered the family out of the

house, according to her father, Khalid, 30. There was gunfire from the tank and Amal and her sister Souad,

seven, were killed immediately. Another sister, Samar, four, was severely injured she is now paralyzed in

hospital in Belgium. Later, the soldiers demolished the house.

Other Information: When she was shot, Amal was carrying her favourite toy, a brown bear, which still lay in

the ruins.


21/29

Name of Victim: Bilal Isa Al-Batran.

Age: 8 years old.

Date of murder: Friday , sunset time; January 16, 2009.

Place of murder: Their house at Al-Burayj R.C., middle of Gaza Strip.

Weapon used: A (Fire 2) Rocket, weighing 45 kg., capable of penetrating 8 cm. iron objects, fired at people.

Details of the last hours: Through their window, Bilal and his younger brother were pointing at Israeli

aircraft. Suddenly, the aircraft aimed at the window through which the kids were looking and bombed the

house, killing the kids, shattering their bodies on the tree braches outside their house. It took their family three

days to pick up the torn bodies of the two kids.

The mother (Manal, 35 years), the eldest daughter (Islam, 14 years), and the twin (Ihsan and Iman, 11 years)

fell martyr when they were in a hurry packing their suitcases to go to the house of their grandpa, Hassan Al-

Sha`rawi who lives in the same camp, for fear that they may be endangered under the Israeli offensive

assault.

In the meanwhile, baby `Abdel-Hady was in the reception hall, to the west south of the apartment, playing

with his toys. When he saw his father starting to perform maghrib (sunset) prayer in Al-masjid Al-Kabirmosque, the baby crawled descending five stairs. The father had to carry the baby in order to take him to his

mother. But before he took one step into the room, a missile bombarded the house killing all its inhabitants,

save the father and his baby. The mother and the rest of her children were dead.

Hobbies: Playing football.

Dreams: Aspired to become a teacher.


22/29

Name of Victim: Do'ha al-Dayeh

Age: 4 years old

Date of Death: Tuesday, January 6 , 2009

Place of Death: Al Zeitoun neighborhood , east of Gaza city

Weapon Type: IOF warplane

Cause of Death: She was found dead, her head sticking out of the rubble that once was her home. Other

members of the family are missing. They are believed to be trapped under the debris.

Details of the Last Hours: At approximately 06:00 on Tuesday, an IOF warplane bombarded a 4-storey

house belonging to al-Dayeh family in Al Zeitoun neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. As a result, the father,

two of his children, one of his grandchildren and his daughter-in-law were killed.


23/29

Name of Victim: Al-Batran family (Death of six members of the family,

most of them children)

Age: Various Ages

Date of Death: Friday, January 16, 2009

Place of Death: Al-Bureij Refugee Camp in central Gaza Strip.

Weapon Type: air strike on their home

Cause of Death: A mother and her five children from the Al-Batran family were killed Friday afternoon in an

Israeli air strike on their home in the Al-Bureij Refugee Camp in central Gaza Strip.

Palestinian medical sources identified the dead as 30-year-old Manal, and her children 12-year-old Wala, 8-

year-old Izz- Ad-Din, 10-year-old, Bilal, 11-year-old Islam, and seven-year-old Ihsan.

Name of Victim: Christine TurkAge: 14 years old

Date of Death: Friday, January 2 , 2009

Place of Death: Shujaya neighborhood, east of Gaza

Cause of Death: Morning air strikes hit six houses near Christine's home making her live with non- stop

nightmares. Christine died apparently of a heart attack, terrified by an explosion which rocked her house.

Details of the Last Hours: The pictures show Palestinians attending the funeral of Christine Turk, in Deir al-

Laten Church in Gaza.

Name of Victim: Hamada Ibrahim Musabbeh

Age: 10 years old

Date of Death: Friday, December 2, 2008


24/29

Place of Death: Near his house, Al-Shoja'eya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City

Weapon Type: IOF tanks fired a number of shells at Palestinian houses in the neighborhood

Cause of Death: Died from his wounds

Details of the Last Hours: Hamada was seriously wounded; his feet were amputated. An hour later,

he was pronounced dead.

Name of Victim: Farah Al-Helo

Age: Two-year-old baby

Date of Death: Monday , January 5, 2009

Place of Death: Killed at her home in Al Zeitoun neighborhood, east of Gaza.

Weapon Type: Killed along with her grandfather and uncle by an Israeli tank shell.

Cause of Death: Died as a result of gunshot wounds

Details of the Last Hours: At approximately 5:30 am, Israeli aircraft attacked the house of 50-year-

old Fuad al-Helo, in the neighborhood of al-Zeitoun, killing the man and a child from his family. The

child was identified as two-year-old Farah Emad al-Helo. Farah is seen in the photo as she lies

beside her uncle at the mortuary of Al-Shifa hospital, Gaza City.


25/29

Name: As- Samoni Family (Death of around 14 members of the family,

most of them women and children)

Age: Various ages

Date of Death: Monday, January 5, 2009

Place of Death: Al Zeitoun neighborhood , east of Gaza.

Weapon Type: Israeli tank shell

Cause of Death: An Israeli tank shell struck the family house in the early morning.

Details of the last hours: The survivors of As-Samoni family described what happened as a massacre. Israeli

soldiers locked 30 people from their family into one house. Many civilians, along with the family, were killed as

artillery shells bombed the house. The photos show the bodies of three children, siblings of the As-Samoni

family.


26/29

Name: Lama, Haya Talal Hamdan

Age: 4, and 11 years old

Date of Death: Tue, 30/12/2008

Place of Death: Biet Lahiya, northern Gaza Strip

Weapon Type: Air-to-ground missile

Details of the last hours: an Israeli drone plane fired a missile at a donkey cart the girls were riding in the

northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahiya, killing them immediately.

Victims Name: As`ad Nizar Rayyan

Age: 2 years old

Sex: male


Place of injury or death: Jibalia in northern Gaza Strip

Cause of injury or death: Israeli air strikes

Details of the Last Hours: At around 2 am, while the martyrs father was entering his house, Israeli f-16

aircrafts aimed at their house with a raid of 3 missiles. This totally destroyed the house that tumbled over the

heads of its inhabitants. The martyr 2 years old died with 13 members of the family that was comprised of

a father, four wives, and seven brother and sisters. Only three brothers, who were not at the house during the

raid, survived the bombing. The martyr and his family were picked up from under the rubble. Dr. Mu`awiya

Hassanein said that most of the family members were in fragments due to the violence of the raid. More than

ten thousand people joined the funeral of the martyr and his family the following day.

Name of Victim: Ebtihal Abdallah Keshko

Age: 7 years old

Date of Death: Sunday, December 28, 2008

Place of Death: Inside her home, al-Zaitun, central Gaza.

Weapon Type: Air-to-ground missile

Cause of Death: Killed in her home by rubble falling through the roof

Details of the Last Hours: During the course of the evening, Abdallah, the father, asked his daughter,

Ebtihal, to get some tea from the kitchen. He also asked Maysa (22), her sisterinlaw, to come out of thehouse and join the rest of the family outside. Almost as soon as Ebtihal entered the house it was hit by a

missile and was reduced to rubble. All the family members who remained outside sustained shrapnel wounds.

By 6:30 am the following morning, rescue workers had cleared all the rubble except that in the kitchen. The


27/29

family started clearing the kitchen and it was Abdallah who found a clump of hair covered in dust. He began to

dig frantically until he uncovered the body of his daughter, Ebtihal. At this point, he was no longer able to

continue and sat down amongst the rubble of his home and wept.

Name of Victim: Dena Ba'losha

Age: 4 years old

Date of Death: Mon., 29/12/2008

Place of Death: Inside her home, Jabaliya refugee camp, northern Gaza.

Weapon Type: Air-to-ground missile.

Cause of Death: Killed in her home, as well as her other young 4 sisters, by rubble falling through the roof

Details of the last hours: Dena was inside her house with her other 4 young sisters: 8-year Jawaher, 12-

year Samer, 14-year Ekram, and 17-year Tahreer Anwar Ba'losha, when their house was hit by an air strike in

Jabalya refugee camp in northern Gaza, while three other young children were killed when a bomb struck their

house in Rafah.

Name: Sodqi, Ahmed & Mohamed al-Absi

Age: 5, 14, 12 respectively


Place of Death: Inside their house, Rafah.


Details of the last hours: The three children were inside their family house in Rafah when an Israeli bomb

struck the house.


28/29

Name: Arafat Khawaja

Age:


Place of Death: A hospital in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Weapon Type: Sniper.

Details of the last hours: Shocked by the horrible Israeli onslaught against Gazans, represented in the

massive wave of Israeli air strikes against the already starving, tired and wounded people in the sealed off

Strip which claimed the lives of hundreds of them and injured more than a thousand, Arafat took to the streets

of the West Bank city of Ramallah and joined a group of Palestinian protesters. The Israeli soldiers opened fire

at the protesters, killing the young Arafat.

Name of Victim: Dena Ba'losha

Age: 4 years old


Place of Death: Inside her home, Jabaliya refugee camp, northern Gaza.


Cause of Death: Killed in her home, as well as her other young 4 sisters, by rubble falling through the roof

Details of the last hours: Dena was inside her house with her other 4 young sisters: 8-year Jawaher, 12-

year Samer, 14-year Ekram, and 17-year Tahreer Anwar Ba'losha, when their house was hit by an air strike in

Jabalya refugee camp in northern Gaza, while three other young children were killed when a bomb struck their

house in Rafah.


29/29

Victims From Gaza

Documents

Transcript of Victims From Gaza