**DaysofPal-** In a harrowing account from the Gaza Strip, the story of Alaa Al-Arabeed unfolds as one of unimaginable grief, survival, and resilience in the face of unspeakable tragedy.
The 28-year-old mother is the sole survivor of an Israeli airstrike that claimed the lives of her four daughters—Maha (12), Mira (10), Joanna (8), and Layan (4)—and her husband, Mahmoud Bassem Al-Arabeed, leaving behind a legacy of shattered dreams and haunting memories.
#### A Nightmarish Dawn
At two o’clock in the morning on Tuesday, successive explosions rocked the skies above Gaza City. The Andalusia Tower, where Alaa lived with her family, was targeted by occupation forces, reducing their home to rubble. Her father, Hajj Mahmoud Al-Arabeed, known affectionately as “Abu Muhammad,” recounted how he rushed to his phone after hearing news of the attack, desperate to reach his daughter. When she did not answer, panic set in.
“I went straight to the hospital,” Abu Muhammad said. “I searched among the bodies of the martyrs, fearing the worst. But then a doctor told me, ‘She is injured, not a martyr.'” While this brought some relief, it was short-lived. As dawn broke, he discovered the devastating truth: his granddaughters and son-in-law had perished in the strike.
#### A Father’s Final Farewell
Standing amidst the refrigerators at the morgue, Abu Muhammad identified the bodies of his loved ones. Clad in shrouds instead of the festive Eid clothes they had longed for, the children lay lifeless alongside their father. With trembling hands, he arranged their burial, placing the girls in separate graves and their father beside them.
The cemetery became a scene of overwhelming sorrow. Tears streamed down Abu Muhammad’s face as he bid farewell to his granddaughters—each name etched into his heart like a wound that will never heal. Memories flooded back: Maha eagerly awaiting her birthday gift, Mira’s laughter during family iftars, Joanna and Layan racing to hug him first. These moments now haunt him, replaced by the stark reality of loss.
#### A Mother Unaware
Meanwhile, Alaa lies unconscious on a hospital bed at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, unaware of the magnitude of her loss. Her injuries are severe: head trauma, damage to her eye, amputated fingers, stomach wounds, and shrapnel embedded in her foot. Doctors fight to stabilize her condition, but even when she regains consciousness, the hardest part remains—telling her that her entire family is gone.
For now, Abu Muhammad shields her from the truth. “When she wakes up, she asks about her daughters,” he says, his voice heavy with emotion. “I tell her they’re at home because I don’t want her condition to worsen. How do you tell a mother that her children are no longer alive?”
#### Dreams Turned to Dust
Just days before the attack, the family had been preparing to celebrate Mira’s upcoming birthday on March 18th. Invitations were extended, plans made, and hopes high for a brief reprieve from the war-torn reality surrounding them. Instead, history will remember this date as both Mira’s birth and martyrdom day—a cruel twist of fate that underscores the brutality of conflict.
“My daughter devoted her life to raising her girls,” Abu Muhammad recalled, choking back tears. “Their father was a kind man, a loving husband and parent. They were a close-knit family, full of love and joy despite the hardships.” Now, those cherished memories serve only as reminders of what was lost.
#### Surviving Against All Odds
Amid the devastation, Alaa’s survival seems almost miraculous. Investigators believe she fell onto a mattress during the collapse of the building, cushioning her fall and sparing her life. For Abu Muhammad, this is a sign of divine intervention. “It’s God’s will,” he reflects. “He decreed her survival and provided that mattress for her to fall on.”
Yet, the weight of survival bears its burden. As Alaa recovers physically, the emotional scars will run deep. The thought of breaking the news to her fills Abu Muhammad with dread. “What will I say? How will I say it?” he wonders aloud.
Alaa’s story is emblematic of the collective suffering endured by Palestinians under relentless bombardment. Each casualty represents not just a statistic, but a life cut short, a dream unfulfilled, and a family torn apart. As the world watches, stories like hers demand accountability and action to end the cycle of violence and ensure justice for the innocent victims of war.
For now, Abu Muhammad stands guard over his daughter, praying for her recovery while grappling with the enormity of his loss. In the silence of the hospital corridor, his thoughts linger on the past—the laughter of his granddaughters, the warmth of their embraces—and the uncertain future that lies ahead.
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