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 via the rubble to search out any survivors. In the course of scrabbling frantically via 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 kids all rushed to the hospital. They arrived only some moments earlier than he was buried, managing solely a rushed last farewell inside a dangerously overcrowded morgue.
“That they had one minute to say goodbye,” mentioned Sayyed, 46. “The kids had 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 might 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, 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 mates and prolonged relations.
His dream was to repay some loans he had taken to construct a small house above his dad or mum’s home and to purchase a automotive. Ultimately, he needed to avoid wasting up sufficient to purchase a chunk of land to construct a much bigger home for his spouse, three kids, and unborn child.
He usually instructed his brother how a lot needed his kids to have a spot the place they might create stunning 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 a type of individuals who you prefer to from the second you met,” Sayyed mentioned. “He had an ease and calm about him that may draw individuals to him.”
Twenty days earlier than he was killed, Hussein had taken his pregnant spouse and three kids, Abdallah, 10, Ahmed, 7, and Hoda, three, to remain at his in-laws’ house in Bani Souhaila, additional south within the strip.
He had additionally left the household’s house within the east of Khan Younis and moved to the south of town.
A household torn aside
Once 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 every thing to him,” Sayyed mentioned. “He cherished and revered her, and tried to supply her with every thing she wanted.
“The day every of his kids 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 baby at coronary heart and doted on his kids 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 appreciated to do. He even used to play with them on the street.”
Hussein missed his kids terribly throughout the interval they had been separated, Sayyed mentioned. He tried to go see them as usually as he might – the final time was on the day earlier than he was killed. Regardless of the hazard, he checked additionally on his mother and father within the al-Zana district in jap Khan Younis, 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) away, each two to 3 days.
“Hussein had a really heat and loving relationship with my mother and father 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 needed 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’ve 10,000 martyrs in Gaza. She reacted like several of the individuals who have misplaced family members.”
Sombre and exhausted, Sayyed considered what his brother would have needed if he had lived.
“He wasn’t a person of grand ambitions. He needed what a median younger man his age needed: to be content material, have a good life, and dwell in peace.”
This text was produced in collaboration with Egab.