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A bereaved mother cannot forget the nightmare of Israeli soldiers storming Kamal Adwan Hospital

January 11, 2025 at 4:48 pm

A view of destruction following the Israeli attack on the courtyard of Kamal Adwan Hospital and its surrounding buildings in Beit Lahya, Gaza on December 25, 2024. [Khalil Ramzi Alkahlut – Anadolu Agency]

Ruba is a 29-year-old mother who has been suffering from severe injuries and unbearable trauma since 27 December, 2024, when the Israeli occupation forces stormed Kamal Adwan Hospital in the northern Gaza city of Jabalia.

On this day, the Israeli occupation forces evacuated over 350 medical staff, patients and wounded, along with their companions, from the hospital before burning it down and destroying its facilities. This was done under the pretext of chasing “terrorists” who used the hospital as a command and control centre.

One of the people kidnapped from the hospital was its director, Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, who refused to leave his patients despite the Israeli killing of his son and his own wounding in direct attacks on the hospital.

During the days of siege and attacks, which preceded the storming of the hospital, Dr Abu Safiya invited the Israeli occupation to enter and inspect every corner of all the facilities of the medical compound, saying: “We have nothing to hide.”

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However, the Israeli occupation forces refused his request, instead insisting on their claims. They stormed the hospital and, as usual, found no proof. It was clear that all they wanted to do was destroy the hospital to make it difficult for the remaining residents in the northern Gaza cities of Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahiya and Jabalia to continue living there under continuous Israeli bombing.

Ruba, who lived through all the trauma, is currently spending most of her time inside her tent in one of the displacement camps in Gaza City. She lost her husband and 17-year-old son while fleeing Kamal Adwan Hospital to Gaza City.

“On 21 November, the Israeli occupation forces bombed a house in front of ours in the Jabalia refugee camp,” she told me. “All of the 19 neighbours who lived in that house were killed and have been there under the rubble of their house until today. Six other neighbours were killed and 27 were wounded from the shrapnel of the Israeli rocket and partial damage of homes.”

Scared, Ruba added: “My 4-year-old daughter was wounded in the attack and I carried her on my back to Kamal Adwan Hospital. She received good treatment for her critical abdomen and head injuries. However, our last days in the hospital turned to hell due to the repeated brutal Israeli bombing and direct targeting of the hospital.”

Director of the hospital Dr Abu Safiya, who is currently jailed in the notorious Israeli prison of Sde Teiman, sent daily briefings about the hell they experienced during that time. He, himself, was wounded and other medical staff were killed.

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“The last day, when the Israeli occupation stormed the hospital, my husband was killed and I carried my wounded daughter and walked out of the hospital along with other patients, their companions, families and paramedics,” Ruba said, recounting: “That was a nightmarish day.”

She added: “The Israeli occupation’s soldiers separated men and women. My son was taken with men. Some were released immediately, and some were delayed for a couple of hours. They put those who were delayed in large ditches surrounded by tanks. I think the others were taken to Al-Fakhoura School and then to different destinations – some released and others detained.”

For Ruba, this was a nightmare, but for me and the others, listening to her horrible account was an unbearable ordeal. She was carrying her wounded daughter and holding the hands of her two young sons after her husband was killed and her eldest son was separated from her.

“The Israeli occupation forces ordered us to undress, but we refused. They beat us harshly and insisted we remove our headscarves. We did and they searched us, touching our bodies, including our breasts and private parts. Most of the women attempted to prevent them from touching their bodies, but they beat them harshly instead.”

“The woman next to me lost consciousness and fell to the ground. The lower part of her body was uncovered. Another woman attempted to cover her leg, but the soldiers beat her and prevented her from moving.”

At this point, Ruba broke into tears, and so did we while sitting with her in her tent. She told me she cried when she saw what happened to the woman. But she was frightened and more worried about her son. Ruba said that the Israeli soldiers interrogated them briefly and separated them into two groups – one was taken to Al-Fakhoura School and the other was released and ordered to move towards Gaza City on foot.

Ruba asked the soldiers about her son, but one of them hit her with the butt of his gun, badly bruising her head, saying in weak Arabic: “Go to Gaza now. Your son is a terrorist.” Ruba believes that all men who were put in the other ditch were either executed or detained because she has not heard from or found out anything about her son.

“On our way to Gaza, we passed through the rubble of destroyed neighbourhoods and saw bodies and body parts of people killed by the Israeli occupation forces scattered everywhere in the streets. “Some of them were clearly eaten by street dogs and cats,” Ruba explained.

“I carried my wounded daughter for about 2,500 metres before I found an ambulance waiting on Salaheddine Street, southeast of Jabalia. Several people carried their wounded relatives, and others who were lucky, according to Ruba, helped their wounded relatives walk on their crutches until they reached the ambulances, which picked us up and dropped us at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City.”

Several days later, her daughter was discharged from the hospital, not because she had recovered, but because there was insufficient space and limited beds in the partially destroyed hospital, which witnessed the first major massacre at the beginning of the genocide where between 800 and 1,200 displaced people were bombed and killed by the Israeli occupation forces.

Ruba now lives with her injured daughter and two young sons in the tent. However, her daughter is still in need of medical treatment and requires a wheelchair.

“My soul is still bleeding,” she said, stating that her “wounds” would not recover before seeing her son and hugging him. However, she doubts this because she has not heard any news about him, and others who left Jabalia after her told her that the Israeli occupation forces executed many people while countless others were detained.

“I wish he was in prison. If confirmed, this would give me some strength and hope to be reunited with him one day.”

Note: Ruba is not her real name. She asked for anonymity and the location of the displacement camp where she lives to remain undisclosed.

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The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.