In tears and pain Palestinian medic Lamia Abu Mustafa paid farewell to her husband Ghazi Abu Mustafa 43 after being shot by the Israeli occupation soldiers only meters away from where she was volunteering to save the injured making her pain double.
The wounded Abu Mustafa arrived in the Great March of Return with his wife a volunteer nurse both facing the Israeli occupation east of Khuza’a east of Khan Younis before they went in different directions. He participated in the weekly march and she began treating those injured by Israeli bullets as she does every Friday.
A few hours later Israeli snipers started firing at the peaceful protestors. She was busy doing her job when she noticed that her husband was shot by Israeli snipers in the head.
Shock and tears
She rushed towards him as he was being rushed to an ambulance by other medics. She followed him to the hospital in a taxi. She was full of tears and heartache. Weeks ago she treated him at the field hospital after he was injured in his leg a wound that he had not yet recovered from.
From the field hospital Abu Mustafa was referred to the Gaza European Hospital after being wounded for the second time. This time however he was shot by an Israeli sniper full of hatred. His serious condition required transferring him to the Intensive Care Unit only to be proclaimed dead after about half an hour.
Tears of pain
Lamia who is used to dealing with injuries and martyrs since starting her work at the Great March of Return on 30 March 2018 was extremely shocked following the loss of her husband paying farewell to him with tears.
Why did they kill him? She asked speaking of oppression. She knows the answer in advance as she has seen and examined dozens of cases of Palestinians shot by Israeli snipers throughout the past few weeks.
She said: “I continuously carry martyrs and wounded but I was shocked by the news of the killing of my husband. I did not believe the news and at first I denied his death until my mother hugged me and said to me Ghazi is gone Ghazi is no more.”
Taking part in the march despite injury
She pointed out that her husband was ready to sacrifice his life for Palestine and was constantly involved in the events of the Great March of Return and even after his injury he continued attending on his crutches delivering a message of determination and looking forward towards freedom and return and breaking the siege.
She adds: “Ghazi did not carry a weapon or a machine gun and was on his crutches and posed no danger to the occupation just like the rest of demonstrators but it is the hatred of the occupation.”
She pointed out that her husband was wounded during the First Intifada (1987) in the left eye and was wounded twice in the Second Intifada (2000) and was injured in his foot and by a gas-canister during the Great March of Return.
“We will not retreat. I will continue my work in helping the injured and this march will continue until it achieves its goals and if Ghazi is killed he will be succeeded by a 1000 Ghazis.”
His children in shock
The six kids of Ghazi were in shock; one of his daughters who was getting ready for her father’s funeral screamed “The source of my inspiration and support has gone.” Her relatives tried to ease her pain while she was screaming of pain loss and love of her father her only source of support in life.
Spokesman for the Ministry of Health in Gaza Ashraf al-Qidra said that “nurse Lamia Abu Mustafa who did not leave the field during the Great March of Return was shocked to see her husband among the injured about a month ago and today he was hit in the head and eventually lost his life with his wife witnessing all of this first-hand.”
