UAE | General

Families agonise over Gaza attacks

With sadness and pain on his face, 19-year-old Wael Jamal Hussain, a Sharjah-based Palestinian was silently praying, during one of the silent gathering held in solidarity with the people of Gaza in Jumeirah Beach Residence, to reunite with his brother who is trapped in Gaza because of the Israeli assault.

  • By Wafa Issa and Siham Al Najami, Staff Reporters
  • Published: 23:34 January 1, 2009
  • Gulf News

  • Image Credit:

Dubai: With sadness and pain on his face, 19-year-old Wael Jamal Hussain, a Sharjah-based Palestinian was silently praying, during one of the silent gathering held in solidarity with the people of Gaza in Jumeirah Beach Residence, to reunite with his brother who is trapped in Gaza because of the Israeli assault.

Hussain's 22-year-old brother, who was born and brought up in the UAE, was studying in Gaza when the Israeli aggression started last Saturday.

"My brother decided to study in Gaza because he wanted to experience life in his native country and be around relatives," said Hussain.

Hussain and his family have lost all communication with his brother since Monday and are praying every minute to see him again.

"The last time I spoke with him he was safe but said he was relentlessly trying to find a way to get through the Rafah border post into Egypt," said Hussain, adding that he felt that his brother tried hiding the fear he felt so as not to add to the agony of his parents.

"As strong as my brother makes himself sound, I know deep inside that he is worried and scared because the situation is very bad in Gaza," said Hussain.

Hussain's 12-year-old cousin was killed on Sunday as Israeli air strikes destroyed their family home in Shaikh Radwan Square in Gaza City.

"He was alone in the house when Israeli air strikes hit. The boy's parents were outside trying to find a shelter in another area as their neighbourhood was heavily targeted on that day," said Hussain. "I ask the Egyptian government to open the Rafah border post so people who are trapped can exit and I pray that the suffering of the people of Gaza will end soon," he added.

His sentiments were echoed by Firas Al Assadi, a Dubai-based Palestinian engineer.

"The international community and the Arab world should take immediate action to stop the killing of the people of Gaza. This crime against humanity is happening in front of the eyes of the world but nobody is lifting a finger to stop it," said Al Assadi who was worried about his friend who is trapped in Gaza.

Al Assadi's friend, a 28-year-old engineer based in Dubai, had left to visit his parents in Gaza on November 28 together with his wife and baby.

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