For over three weeks, Aladdin, Olfat and their 20-year-old daughter have been surrounded by an countless barrage of bombs in Gaza.
After being trapped there, they managed to flee and have now returned to Liverpool and have shared their expertise of conflict with Sky Information.
The trio, with different members of the family, have been at their house in Gaza Metropolis when Israel’s retaliation started following Hamas’s 7 October assault.
They knew after the assault one thing was coming, they only did not know when.
Olfat Alsaqqa, who hadn’t returned to Gaza since she fled the conflict in 2014, says she’d by no means seen something like this earlier than: “Initially we felt very scared.
“We did not know what the response could be like from the Israeli facet. At first they have been quiet after which instantly they began bombing every little thing.
“Towers have been falling down very near us and we did not know what we must always do, whether or not our place is secure or not and the place we must always go.”
The household listened to the orders of the Israeli Defence Forces and fled south, taking Aladdin’s 97-year-old mom with them, and on route they witnessed countless destruction.
However in Khan Younis, the place they stayed with different family members, 27 in whole, the rockets continued.
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The household have been in Gaza Metropolis when Israel’s retaliation started.
Handout picture from Aladdin and Olfat Alsaqqa of harm in Gaza
Aladdin Saga, instructed Sky Information: “There was no secure place in all of Gaza Strip. From the north to the south they’re utilizing the air, the ocean, the land on the similar time, bombing in all places. You are simply sitting and ready to your future.”
His spouse added: “On a regular basis we have been feeling that we have been going to die and that we’re the goal. When the rockets cease, we simply contact our our bodies to test if we’re nonetheless alive. However then we do not know when it’s our flip, so it was depressing.”
Again in Liverpool, three of Aladdin and Olfat’s kids have been left frightened, typically with none communication with their dad and mom – it is all Olfat may take into consideration.
“I used to be feeling very dangerous. I felt, that I am not going to remain alive,” she mentioned. “I used to be simply telling my daughters and my son within the UK to handle your self, handle one another.
“If we do not come again, simply attempt to keep collectively, do not separate. And each time I say to Allah, ‘please shield my children while they’re by themselves’.”
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The household listened to the IDF and fled south
The couple say day-after-day they heard a relative or a buddy had been killed
While in Khan Younis the couple say leaving the home wasn’t an choice, provides have been operating out and day-after-day they have been listening to of a relative or a buddy that had been killed.
Aladdin recollects one time he needed to go to a hospital with a buddy, whose daughter was badly injured. “We went there and what I noticed, I could not consider it was true, I assumed I used to be dreaming. I noticed our bodies on the bottom of the hospital.
“There weren’t sufficient beds to place the injured individuals on. Folks have been bleeding, you are strolling on blood within the al Shifa hospital emergency division.
“There weren’t sufficient medics, docs to simply accept the a whole lot and 1000’s of wounded individuals. I am strolling by and I am seeing individuals simply die, and I can not do something for them.”
He says it is a sight he’ll always remember. However this British-Palestinian couple do blame Hamas for what’s occurring of their homeland.
Olfat mentioned ‘nobody in Gaza likes Hamas… I blame them for every little thing’
The household had tried six occasions to depart by way of the Rafah crossing
Olfat mentioned: “I do not like Hamas. Nobody in Gaza likes Hamas. Everybody desires to do away with Hamas. I blame them for every little thing.
“I additionally blame Israel for what they’ve completed to us. I do not need Israel on my land however I do not wish to do away with my individuals due to that.
“We are able to do one thing else. This isn’t the appropriate strategy to do away with Israel and this isn’t the appropriate strategy to do away with Hamas.”
After six harmful and dangerous makes an attempt of making an attempt to depart Gaza by way of the Rafah crossing with Egypt, Aladdin and his household’s names have been on the record permitting them to depart.
They thank the British International Workplace for serving to them get to security and return to the UK.
However whereas right here the battle within the Center East continues – Aladdin says: “We really feel responsible that we’re alive and many individuals are nonetheless there.
“On a regular basis, our minds are nonetheless in Gaza. If something occurred to my sister and mom who’re nonetheless there I’ll by no means forgive myself.”