Gaza: Amid the ongoing tragedy in Gaza, a heartbreaking story has emerged from Khan Younis that has moved many people to tears. On Sunday afternoon, after an Israeli attack on a police checkpoint, a Palestinian man involved in relief and rescue efforts among the rubble witnessed a moment he will likely never forget. He was searching for injured and deceased victims following the attack when he found the mobile phone of Mustafa Adwan, who had lost his life in the strike. Amid the devastation and destruction, the phone kept ringing. Each time, only one word appeared on the screen — ‘Mom’.
He said that he could not bring himself to answer the call. He realized that on the other end was a mother, repeatedly calling in the hope of hearing her son’s voice or at least receiving some news about his well-being. But the phone kept ringing, and eventually he answered it. That moment reopened his own wounds as well. He said it brought back the pain of losing his wife and daughter; the shock and emptiness stood before his eyes once again. That was why it became extremely difficult for him to tell the mother the truth.
According to him, he tried as much as he could to comfort the mother. However, her repeated questions, her desperation to know about her son, and the hope evident in her voice made the conversation unbearable. In the end, he could no longer hold himself together and disconnected the call.
This incident offers a glimpse into the ongoing human suffering in Gaza, where many families are enduring the pain of separation and loss every day. At the end of his statement, the man prayed for Mustafa Adwan and all those who were killed in the Israeli attacks, and expressed solidarity with the mothers and families who are facing the grief of losing their loved ones each day.