BOOM!CRASH!“AAAAAAAAAH!”Everything was happening too fast, I couldn’t bear it.I’m….BOOM!CRASH!“AAAAAaaah……”
2 HOURS LATER
Assalamualaikum my name is Maryam andI’m 11 years old. I have 2 brothers who are twins,named Musa and Haroon and I have 1 sister namedFatima.They were all killed with everybody else in myfamily, including my aunts and uncles with theirchildren.Everybody was killed except for me and 2 otheradults. At least, this is what I know from thePalestinian Red Crescent rescue workers who told
me they were being treated in Shifa Hospital, 5minutes from the Jordanian field hospital where Iwas being treated.Allhamdulilah, I only had a few minor injuries,so I could walk to get treated at the hospital.As I entered the mass parking lot of thehospital, there were tents everywhere, as far as Icould see, reaching up to the door, evensurrounding it; leaving only a walkway big enoughfor people and ambulances to pass.The tents were made of cloth, plastic bags, etc.and even with thousands of people running orwalking around, not a single real smile were on theirfaces, only forced smiles.There were many adults and children carryingdead or injured people. I went into the hospital andall around I saw injured people, mostly children. Ilooked around, but I didn’t feel a single smile.I searched everywhere but couldn’t find anyfamily members.“Maryam!” I heard someone shout, I turnedaround to find a woman who looked familiar, but Ijust couldn’t put my finger on who she was. She rantowards me and hugged me.
“Maryam how are you?” she asked lookingrelieved.“How do you know my name?” I askedsurprised.“I am a relative of yours, you might not knowme as I am a distant relative. You might have seenme in pictures. I know what happened as I was nearyour home when that happened.” She explainedcalmly then took me to a small tent, large enough for4 people made from bedsheets. I was told that thiswas going to be my home for now.2 DAYS LATER
We have been living the past few days withminimum food and water supplies.We recently heard news that the Zionist Israeliarmy was going to besiege the hospital.We are getting ready to leave Shifa hospitaland go to Khan Younis.
1 WEEK LATER
We reached Khan Younis 2 days ago.We are currently taking refuge in the house ofa friend of my distant relative.My distant relative’s name is Sarah and herfriend’s name is Khatija.
THE NEXT MORNING
BOOM!CRASH!I woke up with a jolt.“Oh no, Aunt Sarah and Aunt Khatija, where areyou?” I screamed, frightened.Aunt Sarah and Aunt Khatija came running in,we grabbed some belongings and ran out in the nickof time.BOOM!
Allhamdulilah we were saved. We ran fasttowards Nasser hospital. But, on the way there wasan Israeli tank which opened fire on Palestinians.Aunt Sarah got injured and we had to carry her therewith the help of some other Gazans.
A FEW HOURS LATER
Aunt Sarah sadly died.Aunt Khadija gave me her ring after the funeral,said Aunt Sarah left it for me.When I wore it, I felt healed. I didn’t know whybut I found out later, the ring had the power to healpeople. But as days went by, the war got worse andthe safest place in Gaza was now Rafah.But Rafah was not spared from the bombardingand cruelty of Israel either. Aunt Khatija and Iescaped to Rafah. There, I tried to help heal peoplewith the ring. But it was verses from the Quran anddoas to Allah (SWT) that helped heal people ratherthan the ring.People recorded me healing people and put meon whatever social media app they had. I became ahope for the injured and their families.Now, after 8 months and thousands dead ormissing, I saw a glimmer of hope pass through thepeople, the very people who never separated fromtheir faith, even through the horror of war. They keptstrong and kept on trying to get closer to Allah. Theynever complained, only said this was a test fromAllah and they will pass it.
People interviewed me like Bissan or Mansour.A month later I learned that some people had cometo inform Aunt Khatija that another relative of mineliving in Jordan had seen us. They sent money forus to be able to pass the border to Egypt and thenbe flown to Jordan.I left the ring in Gaza with a friend of AuntKhatija’s. She promised to continue healing peopleand not let the hope down that had surprisinglyemerged and had brought hundreds of smiles. I leftGaza the next morning but I felt like I had left myheart there, the whole flight to Jordan and evenwhen I arrived in Jordan.The war kept going on but the hope for it to endnever died.
Write a review or comment on this publication. Your email address will not be published.
