Joy stolen by bullets.. two brothers martyred in Gaza while preparing for their daughters' weddings

In a scene that embodies the ongoing tragedy of loss in the Gaza Strip, tears of farewell mingled with the wailing of relatives in the Shifa Hospital courtyard, as crowds bid farewell to the bodies of brothers Abdul Malik and Abdul Sattar Al-Attar. The two brothers, aged 48 and 45, were killed in a treacherous Israeli raid that targeted them while they were going about their daily lives, burdened by the war.

The brothers' last journey was not for any military activity, but an attempt to restore lost signs of joy amidst the rubble. They had gone to their home in the northern part of the Strip to bring supplies for their daughters' weddings, in an effort to complete preparations for the joy that had been repeatedly postponed due to continuous shelling and displacement.

The family's dreams ended with the sound of a missile launched by an Israeli drone, targeting civilian gatherings in the city of Beit Lahia, north of the Strip. This direct targeting turned the journey to find wedding supplies into a final journey to the cemetery, to be buried together as they had lived together.

Inside the hospital corridors, the child Abdullah Al-Attar stood stunned before his father Abdul Malik's body, bidding him farewell with broken words choked by tears. The child bitterly questioned the reason for his father's sudden departure, confirming that they had been planning to celebrate his sister's wedding, which was scheduled soon.

Child Abdullah recounted the details of the last moments, indicating that his father and uncle were trying to provide for the wedding needs to bring joy to the family's hearts. He added with a broken heart: 'Why did my father leave me? I only wish to see him laugh at me again as he always did.'

The shock was not limited to the children, but extended to the entire family who had been eagerly awaiting the wedding date. Instead of hanging wedding decorations, the family raised mourning banners, and preparations for the celebration turned into ceremonies to receive condolences for the two brothers.

For his part, Rami Warsh Agha, the martyrs' maternal uncle, confirmed that Abdul Malik and Abdul Sattar were simple civilians working in agriculture to earn their daily living. He stressed that they had no connection to any armed activity, and that their targeting occurred in an area that was classified as relatively safe.

Warsh Agha explained that one of the daughters was supposed to be married off in just one week, while the other's wedding was scheduled for two months later. He pointed out that the occupation deliberately kills any sign of life or stability for Palestinians in Gaza, even in their most intricate social details.

Warsh Agha criticized international claims about a ceasefire, affirming that the reality on the ground proves the exact opposite. He said that the shelling has not stopped for a single moment, and that the Israeli killing machine does not differentiate between civilian and military, as everyone remains within the direct targeting circle.

During the funeral procession, shouts of 'Allahu Akbar' and prayers rose from the mourners who demanded the necessity of international intervention to stop the ongoing crimes. Participants expressed their anger at the continued targeting of unarmed civilians who are only trying to survive and practice their social rituals.

In a related context, official sources in Gaza reported that the occupation has committed more than 2,400 violations of the ceasefire agreement since its announcement. These violations included direct killings and arbitrary arrests, in addition to the continued policy of siege and systematic starvation against the population.

According to Ministry of Health data, these continuous violations have led to the martyrdom of 765 Palestinians and the injury of more than 2,140 others with varying degrees of wounds. These numbers add to a long record of victims who have fallen since the start of the genocide war in October 2023.

It is worth noting that the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip has so far left more than 72,000 martyrs and over 172,000 injured. The shelling has also caused widespread destruction affecting about 90 percent of the infrastructure and homes, making daily life a continuous struggle for survival.

We were going to bring wedding items and necessities, we had an appointment for my sister's wedding, but the Israeli air force killed them.