In a modest tent in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, Al-Aqqad family lives in agonizing anticipation, searching for any information that might reveal the fate of two of their members who have been missing for over two and a half years. There is no conclusive official account of what happened to them.
The case stems from a photograph that circulated and was published a few days ago showing an Israeli soldier and a blindfolded Palestinian woman and her daughter inside a military vehicle. The family later confirmed that the two were members of the Mohammed Al-Aqqad family, who disappeared during the war on the Gaza Strip.
In a conversation reflecting the family’s deep pain and hope, one of the missing men’s relatives expressed her unwavering belief that her loved ones are alive, saying, “God willing, they are alive.”
Another relative continued to recount the details of the period following the disappearance and the arduous search operations among the rubble. She noted that the family initially believed the victims were buried under the debris, before it became clear that no trace of them could be found.
A relative of the family described the moment the forces stormed the area: “The army entered, they went up to the Verona building across from us on the fourth floor, and my brother-in-law, who was outside, was shot. He died instantly, a martyr. After that, we don’t know what happened to them.”
The family accuses international bodies of remaining silent regarding the fate of the missing, considering the continued ambiguity a humanitarian and legal failure in dealing with this case.
Reports, including those documented by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, indicate that the number of missing and forcibly disappeared persons in Gaza may exceed 11,200, including more than 4,700 women and children, with hundreds of official reports of disappearances.
The repercussions of enforced disappearance extend beyond the immediate humanitarian dimension, impacting the social and legal structures of Gazan society. According to the director of the Palestinian Center for Missing and Forcibly Disappeared Persons, some women live in legal limbo, unsure whether they are widows or still legally married, which affects issues of inheritance, marriage, and the legal status of the family.
Furthermore, the loss of the breadwinner, coupled with displacement, exacerbates the economic burdens on families already facing a collapse in basic necessities.
Reports, including those documented by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, indicate that the number of missing and forcibly disappeared persons in Gaza may exceed 11,200, including more than 4,700 women and children, with hundreds of official reports of disappearances.
The repercussions of enforced disappearance extend beyond the immediate humanitarian dimension, impacting the social and legal structures of Gazan society. According to the director of the Palestinian Center for Missing and Forcibly Disappeared Persons, some women live in legal limbo, unsure whether they are widows or still legally married, which affects issues of inheritance, marriage, and the legal status of the family.
Furthermore, the loss of the breadwinner, coupled with displacement, exacerbates the economic burdens on families already facing a collapse in basic necessities.
