GAZA, (PIC)
The Palestinian woman Reem Ajjour has faced a series of tragedies. After Israeli occupation forces stormed a house in Gaza where she had sought refuge, her husband was arrested, she was injured along with her child, and she lost her unborn baby. Furthermore, she has lost contact with her daughter for several months.
Reem, 23, a mother of two from Gaza, recounts her ordeal that began on October 7, 2023, with the start of the Israeli assault on Gaza. She describes how she and her children, five-year-old Masa and four-year-old Wael, were forced to seek shelter amidst the intense bombardment.
In her testimony published by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, Reem explains that the occupation forces advised residents of Gaza and the north to move to the southern part of the valley, but many, including her family, chose to stay.
Relocation and attacks
A week later, Reem and her family moved from their home to Al-Quds Hospital in Tal Al-Hawa, where they stayed for two days as conditions worsened with continuous bombardment and drone activity. They then relocated to her husband’s aunt’s house in Al-Daraj, Gaza, staying there for about two weeks. The area became extremely dangerous after a neighboring building was hit, resulting in casualties, including children and women. They then moved to the vicinity of Al-Shifa Medical Complex on Abu Hasira Street at the end of October, staying there for a week.
Unable to be far from her family who were at Al-Quds Hospital, Reem returned with her children while her husband stayed behind. This arrangement lasted for a week.
Losses and further displacement
On November 5, Reem learned that her brother and cousin had been killed while trying to retrieve supplies from their family home. Their bodies were initially taken to Al-Shifa Hospital but were later buried by Reem’s husband in a family cemetery in Shuja’iyya due to the dangerous situation.
Two days later, the occupation forces ordered the evacuation of Al-Quds Hospital. Reem informed her husband of her plan to return to her husband’s aunt’s house in Al-Daraj, while her family had moved to her sister’s house. Reem and her family remained there until the end of December 2023.
The tragedies continued as, on November 14, 2023, Reem received news of the death of her husband’s two brothers, Ahmad and Mohamed, who were killed while fetching supplies from the hospital amid rumors of Israeli withdrawal.
New displacement and further hardships
The bombardments persisted, forcing Reem and her family to seek shelter again. They were displaced to her husband’s uncle’s house in Al-Daraj with around 25 people, enduring severe bombardment and dust-filled conditions.
On March 24, 2024, as they experienced severe shelling, Reem noticed she was bleeding and realized she was having a miscarriage. The Israeli soldiers, who had entered their house, demanded she leave the room with her son. They provided initial treatment for her injured daughter Masa, but the situation inside the house was chaotic and blood-soaked.
Escape and arrival in the south
Reem and her children eventually fled to the south, traveling through heavily damaged areas. They encountered numerous obstacles, including the threat of ongoing violence, before reaching a hospital in Nuseirat.
She eventually connected with her brothers, who had previously moved south. However, she struggled to get information about her husband and daughter. She later learned that her husband was in Israeli custody but still had no information about her missing daughter.
Miscarriage and continued hardships
After a month in Rafah, Reem was displaced again to Al-Zawayda due to another evacuation order from the occupation forces. During this period, she experienced severe cramping and discovered that her baby’s heartbeat had stopped. Doctors advised her of an impending miscarriage, which occurred in a tent before being taken to the hospital.
Despite attempts to contact international organizations for information on her husband and daughter, Reem faced ongoing uncertainty. Her daughter’s whereabouts remain unknown, and Reem’s greatest wish is for the war to end, her daughter to be safe, and her husband to be released.
