My great aunt, Elham Farah (my mother’s aunt), is a stubborn, fiercely independent, 84-year-old woman. She lived life travelling (whenever it was possible) and being known as the relative who shows up at every family, church and community event — whether she was invited or not 🧵

She was also that relative that if you answered her call, you knew you’d be giving her the green light to call you every other day. She’s also a survivor. In the 2014 Israeli assault on Gaza, the Israeli military announced that it would bomb the high rise she lived in.

The residents all left, but she was unaccounted for. We feared she didn’t hear about the announcement and stayed indoors, only to later find out she wasn’t home to begin with. She also somehow managed to cross the Rafah border and return at its most dangerous times.

On November 12, my great aunt Elham couldn’t stand remaining sheltered at the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza City. So, she found a ride to drive her back home. The driver refused to go beyond a certain point, so he dropped her off on the road.

As she walked towards her home, an Israeli sniper shot her in the leg, below the knee. She fell to the ground in the middle of the street, visible to everyone in the area. She used her cell phone to call our relatives back at the church. They called the neighbours in her vicinity

The neighbours said they could all see her, but can’t get to her due to shooting in the area. A few hours later, her phone’s battery ran out, and my relatives lost contact with her.

We then learned that when Israeli snipers shoot civilians in the leg in open, visible areas, the objective is to lure fighters out (or anyone for that matter) who try to rescue the civilian, and then kill them. Essentially, my great aunt Elham is being used as bait.

We have appealed to the Red Cross to get permission from the Israeli military to rescue my great aunt. We have no way to know if she’s still breathing. If she’s still alive, she’ll die of thirst in a matter of days.

You will bask in the sunlight one moment…and be shattered on the rocks the next. May God be with the people and deliver us from evil.

Update: A fierce battle erupted in the vicinity between the Zionist army and the resistance. As the neighbours fled their homes, they came across her body and found her dead. Rest in paradise, auntie Elham. It will be easier to see you in the afterlife than it has been in Gaza.

@therapisthammam Mr Hammam, I appolgise in advance as I cannot DM you I am not a verified user and I wanted to share this privately. This tweet was shared a few hours ago here and @notcarole who is related to Elham has also said this. I am terribly sorry for your loss 😔