Nablus, occupied West Financial institution – Dunya Ghanem stood over her son’s physique in disbelief.
“Come on, Jihad, my love. Rise up. Let’s go residence,” she coaxed him within the morgue on Monday morning, caressing her slain son’s face.
She put her hand on his coronary heart. “Jihad’s alive. His coronary heart is thrashing,” she insisted to the handfuls of household and associates who had come to console her.
“Simply be affected person for God’s sake,” she advised them. “Jihad is simply asleep.”
She grabbed maintain of him because the medics tried to maneuver his physique into the morgue fridges, pushing their palms away and crying out: “He’s not lifeless! He’ll be chilly in there!”
When her protests failed and it was time to bury 29-year-old Jihad Saleh, Dunya carried her son on her shoulders, main the pallbearers, who have been all males.
Dunya struggled to talk about her son as she cried. “I used to be dreaming of seeing him get married,” she choked out.
Jihad and 17-year-old Mohammad Qasim Abu Zar have been killed by the Israeli military throughout a raid on the village of Zawata within the northern West Financial institution on Sunday night time.
Greater than 20 Israeli navy automobiles entered Zawata, west of Nablus metropolis, precipitating confrontations throughout which the military fired reside ammunition and tear gasoline at youth.
At the very least three individuals have been injured, together with one who stays in crucial situation.
Lots of of individuals attended Jihad’s funeral procession on Monday.
‘He cherished life’
Israeli forces have killed at the least 95 Palestinians within the occupied West Financial institution and East Jerusalem and injured greater than 1,800 since October 7, the Palestinian Ministry of Well being stated.
On that day, the armed wing of Hamas, the group that governs the besieged Gaza Strip, launched assaults on Israeli territory. Greater than 1,400 individuals in Israel have been killed.
Israel responded with a relentless bombing marketing campaign on Gaza that has continued for the previous 17 days, killing 5,087 Palestinians there thus far, together with 2,055 youngsters and 1,119 girls, whereas greater than 15,200 individuals have been injured.
Within the West Financial institution and East Jerusalem, the Israeli military has stepped up its every day raids on Palestinian neighbourhoods, villages and cities since October 7. Killings of residents by armed settlers have additionally elevated.
The escalating violence has sparked every day protests and confrontations towards Israeli forces at checkpoints, navy bases and settlements.
Jihad’s cousin Wa’ed Ghanem, 19, stated Jihad was once a labourer in Israel however had not too long ago left his job and arrange a espresso cart in his village.
“He was a easy individual. He cherished life. However after his cousin and closest pal, Omayr, was killed, he turned a distinct individual,” she advised Al Jazeera.
Omayr Lolah, 19, was shot by the Israeli military in February and died of his gunshot wounds in March.
A complete of 11 Palestinians have been killed and greater than 100 injured in the brutal Israeli raid on Nablus on February 23.
“Jihad stopped going out, stopped working, stopped with the ability to go on along with his life after Omayr was killed,” Wa’ed Ghanem stated.
Shedding family and friends to Israeli raids is one thing most younger individuals within the occupied Palestinian territory expertise, the loss and trauma typically scarring them for all times.
Shedding her youngster left Dunya unable to do rather more than huddle within the arms of her kinfolk, however she stated she was proud she may take him to his ultimate resting place.
