Every Person Killed in Gaza Has a Name - Opinion - Haaretz.com
A pretty woman has her picture taken with others in her family. She rests her head on her hand, gazes softly at the camera, a wisp of a smile on her face, aware of her beauty. The woman on her right, possibly her sister, makes the V for victory sign with her fingers, and the smile of the third woman, possibly their mother, is restrained. The picture was taken at some kind of graduation ceremony.
It was the last graduation ceremony. The woman in the front of the picture is Jannat Iyad Abu Zbeada. She dreamt of teaching at Gaza University. Earlier this month her face looked out from the front page of The New York Times. She was 21 years old. In an initiative to which it is impossible to remain indifferent, the newspaper presented some of the faces behind the numbers, some of the stories behind the dead, some of the people behind the terrorists.
Thirty-one thousand dead from the war in the statistics became 23 human stories. "They served cappuccinos, repaired cars and acted onstage. They raised children and took care of older parents. They treated wounds, made pizza and put too much sugar in their tea."
"Their stories offer a snapshot of the vast human loss – about one in every 73 of Gaza's 2.2 million people."
As portraits of our hostages and our dead accompany us in the media, in social media, on the streets, as their stories are being told nonstop for about half a year now, it is necessary to have a look at the other, even darker side of the reality as well, the side we refuse to respect, to acknowledge, to feel or observe.
Heba Jourany was a physiotherapist who dreamt of visiting Ireland. Youssef Salama had served as the minister of religious affairs in the Palestinian Authority. Jeries Sayegh belonged to the Greek Orthodox minority; decades ago he had worked as a bank accountant in Israel. He died, according to the Times, from an undiagnosed health crisis after the fighting prevented him from reaching a hospital.
Gazans fleeing Khan Yunis in late January.Credit: Mahmud Hams/AFP
Farajallah Tarazi was also a member of the Greek Orthodox minority, and had "studied aviation engineering in Egypt and worked for airlines in Libya and Uganda before returning to Gaza and managing an aid program for the United Nations. He lived near the sea and swam often when the weather was warm. He sheltered with other Christians in a church during the war and died after clashes prevented him from reaching a hospital after his gallbladder ruptured."
Sayel Al-Hinnawi, 22, was a law student who initiated a campaign with the slogan "We want to live," aimed against the Hamas regime in Gaza. Osama Al-Haddad raised pigeons and goats. Belal Abu Samaan was a gym teacher at the American International School in Gaza. Faida Al-Krunz had 15 grandchildren and was about to leave Gaza for the first time in her life for a visit to Turkey. She had already packed her suitcase and had tucked olive oil and za'atar into it.
Mahmoud Elian was Lubna's father. He had bought his 14-year-old daughter a violin. She studied at a conservatory and dreamt of becoming a violinist.
Palestinian mourners.Credit: Fatima Shbair/AP
Dr. Abdallah Shehada was a surgeon and had directed the Abu Yousef Al-Najjar Hospital in Rafah until his retirement. Ahmed Abu Shaeera, 39, was a garage mechanic. He had left Gaza only once, for the World Cup in Qatar. Salah Abo Harbed was photographed in an amazing parkour stunt on the Gaza seashore, and had taught circus arts to children at the Free Gaza Circus Center. Hedaya Hamad was a mental health nurse.
Yousef Abu Moussa was a 7-year-old with a mop of curls, whose mother called him "medallion" and whose father dreamt he would be a doctor like himself. Farah Alkhatib was 12 years old; her twin sister Marah survived the bombardment. Her baby sister, who was born during the war, was named after her. Youmna Shaqalih was four months old. Her mother was killed in another bombardment. Nada Abdulhadi was 10 when she died. Her 8-year-old sister Leen was found dead, trapped among the ruins, four days later.
Siwar and Selena al-Raiss were 3 years old and 21 months old, respectively. The elder sister loved Kinder chocolates, the younger loved to play with a toy Jeep with a picture of a duck on it. In their photo, the girls are seen playing with what appear to be Duplo blocks.