Gaza: A moving will from journalist Mariam Abu Daqqa to her son before her killing

Before being killed by the Israeli army in Gaza on Monday, Palestinian journalist Mariam Abu Daqqa left a moving will to her only child, Gaith. In it, she asked him to pray for her, not to cry after her death, to hold his head high, and to keep his prayers.

In her will, published by the Palestinian news agency WAFA, Abu Daqqa wrote: “I want you to pray for me, not cry over me, so that I can be happy. I want you to raise my head high, be successful, distinguished, of great standing, and a businessman.”

She added: “My dear son, I want you not to forget me. I used to do everything so that you would be happy and comfortable, so that you would grow up, get married, and have a daughter named Mariam after me.”

Abu Daqqa concluded her will saying: “You are my love, my heart, my support, my soul, and my son who lifts my head high. It is a trust on your shoulders, Gaith – your prayers, then your prayers, then your prayers. Your mother, Mariam.”

On Monday, the Israeli army killed six journalists, five of them in a strike on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. Among them was Abu Daqqa, a photojournalist working with several outlets including Independent Arabia and Associated Press. The sixth journalist was killed in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis.

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