”The sun sank behind the horizon, as if running away quickly, seemingly not wanting to be part of what is about to happen.

“I did not know that my heart is so weak.” Those words were uttered by the crying father Moataz (who was crying while carrying his son); his tears were falling on his cheeks, tears of men are painful, like a burning fire.

The brother Munzer patted on his brother’s shoulders, and his fingertips wiped his tears. He tried to ease his brother’s tension, and said “it is over; Islam has finally recovered from his illness, as you can see”.

Moataz embraced his child in his arms, brought him closer to his face, he wanted to feel him as he was worried to lose him at all of a sudden, and life will be meaningless. (I have lost everything he is my sole life and purpose).

Movements in the streets started to fade, as the night casted its darkness, and the atmosphere of Ramadan imposed itself on the locality despite the late hour, you can find a vendor selling sweets, children running here and there, playing.

“Do you remember when we held our wedding ceremony together? Moataz asked his brother.

Munzer looked at Moataz compassionately, and said that day I never forget. I was going to marry before you but you insisted to hold it together.

“And you insisted to become a doctor, and you were late, that gave me the chance to catch up with you”, Moataz said laughingly.

They continued driving on their motorcycle peacefully, they were happy that Islam has finally recovered after long illness.

Suddenly, the scene dramatically become horrifying, and you could hear the people running, screaming and the sky echoed the sound of Israeli war jets hovering above, “hunting their enemy”.

Finally the Israeli drone managed to identify and kill its prey with a single rocket, and left three dead scorched bodies that were rushed to hospital by a speeding car.

The bodies of the three Palestinians were not easily identified, it became clear later that the three are a child, Islam Eqaraqe’, two years old, his father Moataz Eqaraqe’ and his uncle Munzer Eqaraqe’, who were bombed and killed by a rocket fired by an Israeli drone on Friday 20/08/2011 at Jamal Abdul-Nasser Street in Gaza City; the bodies were severely mutilated.

The martyred father, Dr. Moataz Eqaraqe’, left behind his pregnant wife.
The martyred Uncle Dr. Munzer Eqaraqe’ left behind his wife and two children (young boy Basem and young girl Yara).

** This feature story was contributed to the IMEMC by its author, Fathi Tobail.

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