Palestinian American Family Grapples with the Devastating Loss of 42 Relatives in Gaza
A Palestinian American family's unimaginable grief as they mourn the devastating loss of 42 relatives in a single day during the Gaza conflict, thousands of miles away Their desperate plea for a ceasefire echoes through shattered hearts and a world in search of peace (350 characters)
Tariq Hamouda and his wife Manal, Palestinian Americans residing in Maple Grove, Minnesota, are struggling to come to terms with the profound loss of three generations of their family amidst the merciless conflict in Gaza. Despite being thousands of miles away from the war zone, the couple received the devastating news over a week ago that 42 relatives had been tragically killed in the ongoing clash between Israel and Hamas. The magnitude of their grief remains incomprehensible even now.
Hamouda reports that his wife, with the last name Saqallah, tragically suffered the loss of four brothers, a sister, and a significant number of their children in the destruction caused by two explosions at the Saqallah family compound on October 19. The incident occurred in Gaza City's Sheikh Ejleen neighborhood, and both Hamouda and his family firmly believe that it was the result of an airstrike carried out by Israel. The Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City have been frequent since October 7, with several strikes occurring in the same vicinity on the mentioned day.
CNN cannot verify that the strike was carried out by Israel. The IDF stated they are unable to provide a comment unless given the coordinates of the house, which the family was unwilling to share due to concerns of retaliation. CNN obtained a video from a neighbor showing the remnants of the family compound - a scene of charred ruins and debris surrounded by undamaged homes in the residential vicinity.
A screengrab taken from video shows ruins of the Saqallah family compound after the blast on October 19.
Tariq Hamouda, speaking to CNN on Thursday, acknowledges that Manal is still denying the events. However, the profound grief experienced in their home in the Midwestern region is undeniable.
Hamouda, who hails from the same neighborhood in Gaza as his wife, revealed that they have been residing in Minnesota since 2004. Despite the ongoing fear and conflicts between Israel and militant groups in Gaza, he emphasizes that they have never experienced anything quite like the current situation.
A view of the Saqallah family compound before the strike.
According to Israeli authorities, on October 7, Hamas broke through the barrier separating Gaza from Israel and killed over 1,400 individuals, including both civilians and military personnel. Furthermore, they also abducted more than 220 people.
In retaliation, Israel initiated devastating airstrikes on Gaza with the intention of eliminating Hamas, the governing authority in the coastal region. However, the 2.2 million Palestinians residing there, unable to flee due to the closure of Israeli and Egyptian border crossings, find themselves trapped in the midst of the conflict.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah, citing information from sources within the Hamas-controlled enclave, reports that Israeli airstrikes have resulted in the death of at least 8,485 Palestinians and left over 21,000 others injured. Additionally, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs states that approximately 1.4 million individuals have been internally displaced after the Israeli Defense Forces issued warnings for residents in northern Gaza to relocate to the south.
But Hamouda doesnt have time to properly mourn the dead, he says, as he is still worried about what will happen to those whove so far survived.
Your whole world stops
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Eyad Abu Shaban, Manal's cousin in South Florida, shares the same deep distress. "It feels as if your entire world comes to a halt," he expressed.
"It's not just a few, or even a dozen people - it's 42 members. Coping with such an immense loss is truly challenging."
Abu Shaban reports that the individuals who lost their lives ranged in age from three months to 77. All of them were residing in a single compound. Among the deceased were his uncle, Essam Abu Shaban, his wife Layla Saqallah, and their son Ahmed. In order to evade Israeli airstrikes, they had left their previous residence in the Tel El Hawa neighborhood and sought shelter at the Saqallahs' house, according to Abu Shaban.
Surviving family members informed Hamouda that prior to the airstrikes, the IDF notified them about the possibility of military activities in the vicinity, but they were never instructed to evacuate their home.
This Palestinian girl went from wearing a sparkly tiara to bandages. Even in her hospital bed, she may not be safe
According to Hamouda, houses have been bombed both with warnings and without any warnings, causing a significant amount of fear, confusion, and leaving people with nowhere to seek safety. Hamouda further recounts that during the initial strike, his mother-in-law was present on a balcony but was fortunate enough to escape with the assistance of a surviving relative.
According to him, the compound was completely destroyed in a second strike, resulting in the death of dozens of relatives.
Surviving family members captured a video and shared it with CNN, revealing numerous bodies wrapped in white burial shrouds being laid into a mass grave.
"My mother-in-law claimed that her sons attempted to evacuate, but they were unable to do so due to lack of time," Hamouda stated. He emphasized that his family was completely uninvolved in any militant activities and had no connection with any wrongdoing or crime.
Abu Shaban, a real estate developer from Boca Raton, emphasized that the family solely consisted of civilians, including several esteemed medical professionals.
From left, Doctors Omar Saqallah, Saed Saqallah and Ameed Saqallah were among the 42 relatives killed on October 19.
Manal had four brothers named Saed, Omar, Ameed, and Khorsheed. Among them, three were ophthalmologists, while the remaining brother specialized in ENT medicine. According to Hamouda, they successfully managed Gaza's most extensive chain of family-owned eye clinics.
"We don't have any Hamas members among our family members. They are simply regular individuals - doctors, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and children," Abu Shaban stated.
"By 'exterminating' Hamas, I mean addressing the root cause."
Pleading for a ceasefire
The Maple Grove community has since rallied around the Hamouda family, showering them with love and support.
Community members paid a visit to the neighboring Brooklyn Park Islamic Center last week to offer prayers for the grieving family. Hamouda mentioned that a representative from Sen. Amy Klobuchar's Minnesota office reached out to express condolences and offer support.
Izbat Beit Hanoun, Gaza, on October 21
Satellite image ©2023 Maxar Technologies
Before and after satellite images show destruction in Gaza
But all Hamouda and Abu Shaban want is for the killing to stop.
"In this day and age, it is unprecedented to witness the spectacle of innocent individuals being torn apart, with the entire world as its audience. Whole families are mercilessly wiped off the map," expressed Abu Shaban.
"I earnestly desire for everyone to acknowledge that the people of Gaza are not so different from themselves; they experience pain, they bleed, they possess families, they are sentient beings with emotions."
He expresses his distress over the overwhelming presence of conflict-related photos and videos on social media.
Despite the appeals from activists, human rights groups, and international officials for a ceasefire, the war persists and has now entered a perilous stage of ground operations.
Abu Shaban's family continues to suffer as the killings persist. "I am trapped in this never-ending nightmare and have not been able to wake up," he laments.
Reported by CNN's Yahya Abou-Ghazala, Ivana Kottasova, Ben Wedeman, Akanksha Sharma, and Tamar Michaelis.
