Grief

On Sunday afternoon, 18 November 2012, though fearful of leaving the house due to ongoing airstrikes in the area, Jamal Mahmoud Yassin al-Dalu (52), ventured out to buy food for his family. By the time he returned, his home had been destroyed.

An F16 missile struck the house in al-Nasser Street in the north of Gaza City and killed 10 members of the al-Dalu family. 8 of them were pulled from the rubble that day, including Sarah (7), Jamal (6), Yousef (4), and Ibrahim (1). The bodies of their mother and three other women were also recovered that day.

Several nearby houses were damaged in the attack, and two neighbours belonging to the al-Muzannar family, an elderly woman and a teenage boy, were also killed. Additionally, 9 civilians, including 2 children and 3 women, were wounded in the attack.

Two members of the Al-Dalu family remained missing until Thursday, when their bodies were found in the wreckage. They were Yara Jamal Mahmoud al-Dalu (17) and Mohammed Jamal Mahmoud al-Dalu (29), the father of the four children.

We visited the site today, where the 9azza was taking place for Yara and Mohammed. The 9azza is the three days of mourning after the funeral, during which family and friends visit to pay their respects.

There were many members of the media present and the father of the family, Jamal, gave an interview to a television station. As he spoke, his 18-year-old son, Abdullah, stood next to him with his head bowed. I didn't see him look up once.