Horror as Gaza handicapped care facility bombed
She survived an Israeli strike in the early hours of Saturday morning that hit a care home for Palestinians with special needs.
Two of her fellow residents were not so lucky.
Thirty-year-old Ola Washahi and 47-year-old Suha Abu Saada were killed when the rocket slammed into the home, destroying it.
The two women's body parts were still being pulled from the rubble hours later, causing initial confusion over whether another person had been killed.
The facility's director, Jamila Alaywa, is unable to contain her fury as she describes the tragedy that has befallen the centre she set up in 1994.
"Both Ola and Suha had severe mental and physical handicaps, and had been living at the centre since it was founded," she told AFP.
The building in northern Gaza's Beit Lahiya housed 13 residents, including some who were on weekend visits at their family homes when the strike hit.
Five residents and a helper were inside, screaming in terror as the building collapsed around them.
"They didn't understand what was happening and they were so frightened," Alaywa said.
"They fired the rocket and it hit us without any warning. There was no warning strike with an empty rocket," she said.
Israel claims it tries to minimise civilian casualties by firing a small missile at a target first, to give non-combatants a chance to leave.
The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the strike on the care home.
"Ola and Suha's bodies were torn into pieces," Alaywa said.
"We never imagined that something like this could happen. There is no one in the residence or anyone around us that belongs to the resistance."
The two women are among more than 125 people killed since Tuesday, when Israel launched Operation Protective Edge, which it claims is aimed at halting rocket fire from militants in the Gaza Strip.
The aerial campaign has also wounded more than 940 people. In retaliation, Hamas and other militant groups have fired hundreds of rockets into Israel, which have caused no fatalities - mostly due to the iron dome.
For now, the wounded residents of Alaywa's facility remain in hospital.
Sally and 28-year-old Ahmed al-Awar are in intensive care, being treated for serious burns.
Alaywa has made arrangements for the residents who were away to remain with their families for now, and is hoping to find places at another charity for her wounded charges when they recover.
But she pleaded on Saturday for help to ensure the home would be rebuilt.
"I hope that the world will help me. I want to rebuild my association and to be able once again to take care of these people -- they are my children."
COMMENTS (5)
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@ WB: How about no more land grabbing?? How about Israelis returning to their native countries like Poland etc etc?
@WB: Fully concure. Auschwitz was conducted by Alies because Nazis were hiding their most dangerous weapons; AH himself told me. And why would anyone not believe Natan Yahu and his spokesperson WB?
Was there any evidence that Hamas's men were hiding there? Were their bodies recovered from the rubble? Assuming too much, is being paranoid. I repeat again, where is the world's conscience??
@Bibi:
I'm sorry, but how do you know that terrorists were not using these unfortunate and sad innocent people as human shields by hiding in this building?
Hamas has done this before. First they start a war and then they hide in civilian areas to blame Israel.
Hamas must stop the firing of rockets immediately, so peace can return to the region.
No questions asked. The aggressor, Hamas, must back off.
This is similar to what happened in Gujarat. First a mob of 2000 influenced by a radical group, conspiratorially burned down a train of innocent Hindus. And then when Hindus retaliated, they blamed on someone else.
This should stop.
will the snoring UNO take notice of this glaring violation of their charter in which a hospital was bombed by US darling? Where is the world's conscience?