The Longing for Family Amidst War in Gaza

The Longing for Family in Times of War

The boys are filled with an overwhelming desire to reunite with their parents once more. They firmly believe that this reunion will occur as soon as they return to Gaza City, the place of their childhood that was shattered by the ravages of war. “Baba and mama will be waiting for us there,” they often tell their aunt Samar, who has taken on the monumental task of caring for the four of them: Mohammed, Mahmoud, Ahmed, and Abdullah Akeila. This hopeful declaration persists despite the heartbreaking truth that their parents have been gone for months, victims of an airstrike that struck perilously close to where the family sought shelter.

Aside from Ahmed, the second youngest at just 13 years old, none of the boys witnessed the tragic loss of their parents firsthand. Each day marks another painful milestone in their lives — Mother’s Day was particularly difficult, as was the recent Eid holiday. Yet, despite their sorrow, they continue to cling to hope. Every evening, when the sun sets and the prayer is recited, 9-year-old Abdullah insists he can still hear his mother’s comforting voice in the wind.

Their aunt, Samar al-Jaja, just 31 years old, shares a modest tent with the children in the Gazan city of Khan Younis, where she finds herself at a loss for words. “When they see other parents embracing their children and whispering sweet words into their ears,” she reflects, “how do you think they feel?”

The ongoing conflict in Gaza is tearing apart the fundamental bonds between parents and children, shattering the very fabric of family life. It is creating so many orphans amid the chaos that no organization or aid group can accurately account for them all.