Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Palestine – The ceasefire in Gaza was scheduled to begin at 8:30 am (06:30 GMT). The al-Qidra family had endured 15 months of Israeli attacks, displacement, and loss of relatives. Living in a tent, they were eager to return home.
Ahmed al-Qidra embarked with his seven children on a donkey cart towards eastern Khan Younis, believing it was safe to travel as the bombing should have ceased.
Unaware of the ceasefire delay, the family encountered a tragic event. An explosion struck the cart, leaving devastating consequences as Hanan, Ahmed’s wife, heard the blast moments after bidding farewell to her loved ones.
Tragically, Adly, 16, and Sama, 6, lost their lives in the attack. Amidst the chaos, Yasmin, 12, managed to rescue Aseel, 8, before another missile hit. Mohammed, 11, also survived, but Ahmed succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
‘My children were my world’
Sitting by her daughter Iman’s hospital bed in Nasser Hospital, Hanan struggled to comprehend the tragedy. The ceasefire delay resulted in the loss of three members of her family and 19 other Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Civil Defence.
Devastated by the loss of her husband and two children, Hanan questioned how this tragedy could occur after enduring so much hardship during the war.
Amidst her grief, Hanan reflected on the joy turned into a nightmare, expressing disbelief at the continued bloodshed and atrocities committed.
As tears streamed down her face, she pondered her future without her beloved family members, asking: “What’s left?”
