A Palestinian family living in the United States has claimed that they lost 42 relatives in a single day during the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Tariq Hamouda and his wife Manal spoke to CNN about their devastating loss. They believe that their family members were killed in an Israeli airstrike on October 19 in the Sheikh Ejleen neighborhood of Gaza City.
The Hamouda family resides in Maple Grove, Minnesota. Tariq Hamouda revealed that his wife, Manal, lost four brothers, a sister, and most of their children when their house was destroyed by two explosions. He shared that his wife is still in denial about the tragedy, as she deeply loved her family and had spent the summer with them. Tariq and Manal are originally from the same neighborhood in Gaza but have been living in the United States since 2004.
Tariq expressed that there have been conflicts between Israel and militant groups in Gaza in the past, but nothing as devastating as this. He also mentioned that he hasn’t had the time to properly mourn the dead as he is still concerned about the safety of those who have survived in the war-torn city.
Manal’s cousin, Eyad Abu Shaban, who resides in South Florida, is equally devastated by the loss of his family members. He described the feeling as if his whole world has stopped. Eyad shared that it is extremely difficult to cope with the death of 42 family members, ranging from 3 months to 77 years old, who were all staying in the same compound.
Eyad further revealed that the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) had warned of possible military activity in the area before the airstrikes, but they were never instructed to evacuate their home. He expressed frustration over the bombings happening with and without warnings, causing fear, confusion, and leaving them with nowhere to go.
It is important to note that Israel has launched multiple airstrikes on Gaza City since October 7, following an incident where Hamas operatives breached the barrier between Gaza and Israel, resulting in the deaths of over 1,400 people.
The grieving family is now awaiting a response to their tragic loss.
