Watan-The Palestinian child Hala Hamada escaped the fate of her cousin, the martyr Hind Hamada, after being rescued following 40 hours of being trapped under the rubble inside her home in Khan Younis, following Israeli occupation forces airstrikes.
International organizations affiliated with the United Nations and the International Red Cross managed to evacuate the girl Hala Hamada from under the rubble of her house, which was bombed by Israeli occupation forces in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, after being besieged by Israeli tanks.
The girl’s uncle said in a call with Al Jazeera that Hala was transferred to the American Hospital in Khan Younis for treatment.
Fourteen-year-old Hala had pleaded for help in an audio recording after being injured in the Israeli shelling that resulted in the martyrdom of her parents and three siblings.
The plea of the child Hala
A video clip captured Hala’s plea for help from under the rubble, urging for rescue before darkness fell, as she was trapped by Israeli tanks and bulldozers.
The video showed a part of the conversation between the girl and her uncle, with her explaining her situation, her crying voice encapsulating her tragedy: “When are you coming… Come before it gets dark.”
Her uncle urged her to be patient and wait for assistance, saying, “Stay strong, my dear, just hold on by yourself, dear… The situation is tough, my dear.”
The uncle stated that Hala had requested help and pleaded for the Red Cross or Red Crescent team to hurry to her, noting that she was 14 years old, while he tried to reassure her while listening to Israeli gunfire and vehicles around her.
He mentioned that her messages to him didn’t stop, as she repeatedly informed him that she was thirsty and needed water: “I’m thirsty, please hurry,” and that she couldn’t move because of the iron and rubble on her feet.
Hala, the cousin of the martyr Hind
Hala is the cousin of the martyr Hind, whose video went viral late last January, documenting Hind’s plea for help in a phone call with a Red Crescent worker after all her family members were martyred inside their car by Israeli shelling.
After being missing for 12 days, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society announced the martyrdom of the child Hind inside a vehicle containing 6 bodies of her family members, some of which were decomposed.
The association also announced the discovery of their ambulance, which went out to rescue Hind 12 days ago, shot in the area of Tel al-Hawa (west), with the crew martyred inside.