Gazan Volunteer Discovers His Own Family Among the Dead He Prepares for Burial
In a devastating twist of fate, Mohammad Abu Issa, who volunteers to shroud martyrs in Gaza, found his mother and four sisters among the victims of an Israeli airstrike.
Watan-In one of the most heartbreaking and human stories to emerge from Gaza, Palestinian citizen Mohammad Abu Issa—who had been volunteering since the beginning of the Israeli assault to prepare the bodies of martyrs for burial—was devastated when he discovered that among the corpses were his own mother and four sisters.
Mohammad, who works at the “Martyrs of Al-Aqsa” Hospital in Deir al-Balah, dedicated his time and effort to preparing the bodies of the deceased and burying them with dignity, amid the daily scenes of death inflicted by Israel’s war machine on the besieged Gaza Strip. Every time he wrapped a body in a burial shroud, he did so with a shattered soul and a bleeding heart, yet he stood firm and carried out his voluntary mission without hesitation.
He recounted the horrifying moment, saying:”It never crossed my mind that they would be among those I was preparing for burial… I was shocked to find the bodies of my mother and sisters after they were killed in a strike on our home.”
🔴قصة مأساوية لغزّي تطوع في تكفين شهـ *ــداء الحرب على #غزة.. صدم بجثامين أسرته لكنه أصر على مواصلة عمله الإنساني👇 pic.twitter.com/3ygqN4UVSN
— وطن. يغرد خارج السرب (@watanserb_news) April 11, 2025
“It Felt Like Falling from the Sky”: Gazan Volunteer Shrouds His Own Family
The house, he said, had only women and children inside, which made him believe it wouldn’t be targeted—until the crushing reality hit when he saw his loved ones lifeless. “It felt like I was falling from the sky,” he added.
The tragedy didn’t stop with his mother and sisters; Mohammad also lost several other family members, while others were severely injured and taken to intensive care. Despite the immense personal pain, he didn’t stop his work. Instead, he insisted on continuing his mission, wrapping more martyrs in shrouds—a scene that epitomizes the level of sacrifice endured by the people of Gaza.
Mohammad Abu Issa’s story is not just one of loss; it is a symbol of the resilience of the Palestinian people—burying their martyrs with their own hands and continuing forward.
