In a devastating turn of events, the Khayal family’s desperate attempt to escape the violence in Gaza City has left their fate unknown. Dina Alalami, a 33-year-old mother of two living in Qatar’s capital, Doha, has been anxiously waiting for news about her sister, two brothers-in-law, two nephews, and three other relatives who disappeared six days ago. The family made the harrowing decision to leave their home on November 10th as Israeli tanks closed in on their area, fearing for their lives. Despite reaching out to the Red Cross and Red Crescent for help, their pleas went unanswered.
On the day they left, the family waved white flags, hoping to signal their desire for safety. Dina’s youngest sister, Rulla, was on the phone with her when tragedy struck. The group was cautiously moving forward when screams filled the air. Lina, their other sister, fell to the ground, blood staining her shirt after an Israeli tank fired upon them. Rulla managed to drag Lina to the entrance of a nearby building and attempted to administer first aid. Witnessing her sister’s gunshot wound to the chest, Rulla was forced to leave her behind as the Israeli tank continued its assault. Bashar Khayal, Rulla’s husband, and Dalia, their sister-in-law, were also injured in the attack. Tragically, their grandmother, Feryal, lost her life in the onslaught.
Desperate to save her trapped family members, Rulla provided Dina with their exact location behind al-Zaytoun pharmacy, near the Abbas intersection. Dina immediately contacted the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) for assistance, but to her dismay, they were unable to reach the area. The following day, Dina received the devastating news she had feared: Lina and Dalia had succumbed to their injuries. Meanwhile, Lina’s two young sons, four-year-old Mohammad and nine-month-old Majed, remained trapped inside the building with their father, Tareq Khayal, their grandmother Dalia, their aunt Suha, Rulla, and Bashar. With no access to food, water, or electricity and their phone batteries dying, Suha managed to send Dina a final message: “We are alive.”
Overwhelmed with grief and helplessness, Dina traveled to Cairo, Egypt, where her father resides, accompanied by her brother from Dubai. The thought of her nephews suffering from thirst and hunger torments her. The lack of respect for the deceased, as Lina’s body still lays on the street, further deepens their pain. Shockingly, the death toll in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has surpassed 11,300 since October 7th, with a majority of the victims being women and children. The healthcare system in Gaza has crumbled under Israel’s total siege on the territory, and just recently, Israeli forces raided al-Shifa, the largest hospital in the strip, despite patients and displaced individuals seeking refuge there.
Dina reflects on her last visit to Gaza for Rulla’s wedding, where she witnessed the bond between her sisters. She yearns to be with them now, even if it means facing the same fate. The tragedy unfolding in Gaza serves as a stark reminder of the innocent lives being lost and the urgent need for global attention and intervention.
