A Story from Gaza War: Assassinated Twice

A parents' worst nightmare happened to hundreds of innocent families during the 51-day war against Gaza.

10-year old Ibrahim was playing in the park when a drone injured him. He didn't survive the second attack, ten days later. Photo by Yousef Ghaben

(GAZA, Palestine) - It's the old habits, traditions, of the children in the feast that led the 10-year-old child Ibrahim Dawawsa to go to the Amusement Park for playing and laughing with kids.

It was the first time for his father to try to prevent him go out because of the war, but in vain. Ibrahim and his friends were happily playing on the swing, but it seemed the Israeli drones did not like it.

A drone's rocket hit the swing causing a terrifying blast over there. Fortunately, kids were all seriously wounded. None was killed. The people there rushed to save the little boys. Ibrahim was seriously wounded in his left arm.

Ibrahim's family was shocked when they heard the news. They realized he was likely killed. Yet, their joy was unspeakable to know he was still alive.

Ten days later, Israel and the Palestinian factions announced 72-day truce. It was Friday when Ibrahim was able to dress in new clothes and he got out for Juma'a prayer.

His mother was contemplating him from the window and smiling as if she could hardly believe he has survived the bombing in the park.

"Be careful Ibrahim," she called to him.

Ibrahim looked at her and smiled. He waved his little hand to his mother and went on walking to the mosque.

In just a matter of minutes, his mother heard a huge bomb.

"Ibrahim!" she spontaneously screamed.

She and the whole family rushed to the place of bombing. There was a huge mess. Ambulances were there moving the causalities to the hospital.

They looked for Ibrahim everywhere but found nothing. They realized he must be one of the victims. The parents rushed to the hospital to find their child.

When they arrived, they were severely shocked at what they saw. Their little innocent child was lying on a white bed. He was already dead by shrapnel to the head.

The mother fainted, and the father fell on the ground. Nurses carried the mother away for treatment. She kept repeating her son's name, "Ibrahim...Ibrahim...Ibrahim..."

The father was weeping and crying with heavy tears over his son. He kept hugging the boy's body saying, "Ibrahim...Ibrahim...Ibrahim"

I visited the family the next day. There was a vast grief and sorrow there. The mother was sit aside, silent and sad and surrounded by some women dressed in black.

The father was the same. None was talking there. It's just silence.

"How are u doing, Abu Jamal?", I asked.

"Praise to God," he replied.

I told him I'm a reporter and I need some information to report what happened.

With weak cracked voice he told me the story. I was severely shocked. The young Ibrahim was targeted twice by Israeli drones. He survived the first bombing, but didn't make it through the second.

The father got silent for a moment. He dropped his head, weeping and saying "I cannot believe I will never see him again... He was like an angel. Why did they kill you Ibrahim? ...Why?"

At that moment, I started weeping too. I apologized and left.

For humanity and morality friends, accept my apologize for making u sad. For Ibrahim, please share his story.