August 26, 2014
Palestine
It was early in the morning hours on 10 August 2014 when Ameen Sabbagh, the coordinator of Jerusalem Charity aid in Ghaza, arrived to the charity health centre and saw three children sitting in front of the centre.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
Diana, the eldest of the three, said that her sister Salwa was very sick and that she needed a doctor.
It was Sunday (the day of rest) but Ameen called a doctor to come and examine the girl. Before the doctor could arrive, Ameen invited all three children inside and together they spoke about their current situation.
“We are from Beit Hanoun where we lived in a four-floor house. There was a heavy bombing the fifth day. At 11 o’clock, our house suddenly shook as if there was an earthquake. My sister Salwa and brother Mahmoud ran down to the third floor but it was already destroyed and our cousins were killed. We were carefully walking downwards and eventually we managed to hide in a cellar. The building then collapsed on us and there was fire everywhere. We almost choked to death. Suddenly, we heard the ambulance sirens and someone who yelled: “Is someone under the wrecks?” So we yelled back and called for help. The Red Cross workers took us out from the wreckage and transported us to the UNRWA school where we are currently living. We sleep with many others on the floor of one of the classrooms.
Meanwhile, the doctor arrived and examined Salwa who complained about her stomach and headache. After a thorough medical checkup, the doctor came to the conclusion that Salwa suffered from trauma and sent her to the psychosocial charity team in Ghaza.
Ameen gave the children some duvets as well, so that they could sleep decently. The charity team will supervise their situation as long as they manage to help them out the most they can.
