I’ll tell you how he died
Published: Electronic Intifada By Eva Bartlett
A good, brave, and very funny man was killed yesterday as he loaded the body of a civilian twice-killed into an ambulance.Emergency medical workers, Arafa Hani Abd al Dayem, 35, and Alaa Ossama Sarhan, 21, had answered the call to retrieve Thaer Abed Hammad, 19, and his dead friend Ali, 19, who had been fleeing the shelling, when they were themselves hit by an Israeli tank’s shell.
It was after 10 am on January 4th, they were in the Attattra region, Beit Lahia, northwestern Gaza, around the area of the American school bombed the day before, killing a 24 year old civilian night watchman inside, tearing him apart, burning what remained.
Squealing in pain, right foot amputated and shrapnel lacerations across his back and body, Thaer Hammad tells how his friend Ali was killed.“We were crossing the street, leaving our houses, when the tank fired.There were many people leaving, not just us.” Hammad stops his testimony, again squealing with pain. For the past two days, since the Israeli land invasion and heightened bombing campaign began, residents throughout Gaza have been fleeing their houses.Many haven’t had the chance to flee, have been caught inside, buried alive, crushed.The doctor continues the narrative.“After they were shelled, Thaer couldn’t walk.He called to Ali to carry him.” The rest goes: Ali had carried Thaer some distance when Ali was shot in the head, a bullet, shot from an unseen soldier in the direction from which they fled.Ali dead, Thaer injured, and people fleeing, the ambulance was called.
*Thaer, writhing in pain.
When Arafa and Alaa arrived, they managed to load Thaer into the ambulance, and were working on getting Ali’s body to the clearly-marked vehicle when the shell came.Ali lost his head, killed twice. Alaa is riddled with shrapnel over his body and to his groin. Arafa’s lung came out.
Arafa underwent heart surgery and doctors worked on his mutilated body. He went into shock and died an hour or so later.
His funeral was hurriedly held, a procession, a burial, and the traditional mourning tent.The tent was shelled, mourners inside. Another medic tells me of Arafa’s brother on the phone, calling the news radio station: “we’re being shelled, someone come to get us.”
A science teacher by profession, Arafa had volunteered as an emergency medic for nearly a decade. He was delightful, warm, had a nice singing voice, and was not at all shy about being silly. I remember him stomping ridiculously around the now-vacated Jabaliya PRCS office (Israeli soldiers have taken over the area) saying he was hungry, very hungry, and chomping down on the bread and cheese that we had for a meal.
I had the privilege of working one night with Arafa, of seeing his professionalism and his humanity.“He wanted to die like that, helping our people,” Osama, a fellow medic told me.Not a martyr complex, so engineered by living with death, occupation, invasions, humiliation, and injustice for so long, but a dedication to his work, to people.
His killing has since been followed by those of 3 more emergency medics.
I lived and worked in the West Bank and Gaza for 8 years – 4 during the first intifada and 4 during the second intifada. We saw a great deal of brutality and injustice. Obviously we never saw anything like this.
Thank you for the tremendous work you are doing to bring to light what is surely a fraction of the true story. The world is indebted to you.
It is so senseless. Why? And where is the world reaction? Have we all lost our moral compass? I am so sick of hearing the drumbeat of Israeli lies on CNN, BBC, NPR, etc.
Rory
January 6, 2009 at 01:33
Hi,
I’m in charge of The Observers, a citizen web site operated by the tv station France 24. I really appreciate your stories and I’d like to share them with our readers. Can you contact me? If you could send me your phone number, that’d be great. Best,
Julien Pain
January 6, 2009 at 09:24
I’m a french guy and I’ve just discovered your wonderful blog thanks to an article published today in Le Monde.
Karolus
January 6, 2009 at 11:30
Hi,
this is really impressive, thanks a lot for sharing thoughts with us!
Kindly, pb.
Patrick Brauckmann
January 6, 2009 at 12:17
I can’t find words, – only commenting to tell you that’s very brave and good work to tell the stories and share with the world!
Post it here, too:
http://www.ireport.com/ir-topic-stories.jspa?topicId=169745
Pia Qu
January 6, 2009 at 12:23
Your reports have touched me. I am sickened by what I have seen and read. Thank you for letting the world know what is happening – the coverage of the BBC and others in the UK is not giving the full picture of the atrocities being committed. Keep Safe.
Andy Davies
January 6, 2009 at 12:43
I wish I could do something!!!
My heart aches for the people at Gaza.
Can´t imagine being in your shoes…stay safe
The Icelander
January 6, 2009 at 14:45
Everyone should be aware of these crimes.
Dweller of this World
January 6, 2009 at 15:22
I’m from the Netherlands, our prime minister justifies the attacks.
I am ashamed to be dutch, lots and lots of strenght to the Palestinian people
Rimmert Hoekstra
January 6, 2009 at 15:33
Thank you so much for all the work you all are doing. I my self don’t know what to do from here in Sweden. I’m sick and tired of my government for not banning Israel for this and asking for total, international blockade of Israel.(and maybe even USA for as long as they are supporting Israel) Why are there not ANY bold politicians in this world anymore? Why are the world (of over 6 billion people) afraid of some 15 million jews?! Because of the Holocaust? Why should WE remember it – they are rubbing it in the whole worlds face for 60 yrs, and they do not remember it themselves – repeating it themselves right now, at this very moment in front of the eyes of the whole world, chamelessly. And the World just shake their heads and say something like “no, no, please isreal don’t do that”. And they all think that they have done a real good job for the Palestinians. Thank you once again for your bravery.
Marie Johansson
January 6, 2009 at 16:44
It’s important to keep reiterating how tiny Gaza Strip is.
RuralDove
January 6, 2009 at 16:57
Thankyou and keep safe , inshalla your testomony will put these war criminals away , all we want is justice for Palestine , night is coming and I really am praying that god keeps you and all the Gazans safe tonight , God bless you
pamela
January 6, 2009 at 16:58
You are in my thoughts everyday. Your commitment is tremendous. From some of the above comments it seems that your word is getting out… Keep yourself safe.
Jen S. in Toronto
January 6, 2009 at 17:38
You’re in my thots & prayers ST Eva. I wish I could be there with you. Spoke with your mother on Sunday and will call her again tomorrow night. Thank you for your witness and your courage.
Lotsa love and hugs!!!!
Keren
January 7, 2009 at 01:44
I translated a fragment to portuguese and published it here: Vou Te Contar Como Ele Morreu.
César
January 7, 2009 at 13:18
Keep the posts coming as no journalists are getting inside Gaza.
Can you get photos that proves the ambulances were shot at? Together with a fresh newspaper coverpage to prove the photos are recently taken photos?
It’s israeli claims against palestinian claims.
John
January 7, 2009 at 15:56
[...] dart bomb attacks came the morning after invading Israeli soldiers killed 35-year-old paramedic Arafa Abd al-Dayem. Along with another medic and ambulance driver, Abd al-Dayem was targeted by the lethal darts just [...]
Ensuring maximum casualties in Gaza « In Gaza
March 16, 2009 at 19:27
[...] video of attacks on medics highlights the killing of medic Arafa Abd al-Dayem, the targeting of medic Hassan al-Attal, the killing of 16 medics and the damage to numerous [...]
Israel’s war crimes coming to light « In Gaza
March 23, 2009 at 20:16
[...] Arafa Abd el Dayem, martyred days before when Israeli soldiers fired a dart bomb containing 1000s of lethal metal [...]
“One Of…” WHO prize-winner « In Gaza
April 11, 2009 at 20:00
[...] and injuring many more with the flechette bombing alone, including a clearly Red Crescent medic. Arafa abd el Dayem leaves behind a wife, children, and a career of bravery in the face of such [...]
among the martyrs « In Gaza
June 9, 2009 at 16:09
[...] School was flattened by F-16 bombing during Israel’s massacre of Gaza. I was with medics [one of whom who was martyred on 4 January, shredded by an Israeli-shot flechette/dart bomb while he worked] who went immediately after the [...]
Jihad, the date man « In Gaza
September 28, 2009 at 18:14
[...] Arafa Abd el Dayem: a red crescent medic, high school teacher, selfless and genuine man; targeted by Israeli dart bomb shelling while he and others evacuated wounded and dead also targeted by Israeli shelling. Arafa, allayerhamo (bless his soul), was one of 16 medical rescuers killed by Israeli forces in 23 days: 4 were killed in one day alone. Another 57 were injured. At least 16 ambulances were damaged with at least nine completely destroyed. In contravention to the Geneva Conventions which stipulate the right to access to medical care and the right of medical and emergency workers to perform their duties unharmed. [...]
Israeli massacre crimes not easily forgotten, despite the PA « In Gaza
October 9, 2009 at 12:05
[...] again used the dart bombs in dense civilian areas. Tens of civilians were injured and killed, including medics answering a call when fired [...]
cemetery casualties « In Gaza
December 23, 2009 at 18:00
[...] after 10 am on 4 January, 35-year-old paramedic Arafa Abd al-Dayem went with other medics to the Attatra region, Beit Lahia, northwestern Gaza to answer a call for [...]
remembering the martyred #1 « In Gaza
December 26, 2009 at 22:43
[...] Arafa Abd El Dayem was killed in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza, as he and other paramedics and emergency workers answered the call of civilians targeted by an Israeli missile strike. Although wearing their universally identifiable medic uniforms and with clearly marked ambulances, Israeli tanks fired a flechette bomb at the group of rescuers and injured civilians. Arafa died from wounds sustained by the dart bomb, which tore into his internal organs. [...]
remembering Arafa Abd El Dayem and the emergency workers, today, everyday « In Gaza
January 5, 2010 at 22:46
[...] Khaled Abu Sada, 43, another long-term medic, will never forget the Israeli attack that savagely martyred his colleague Arafa Abd al-Dayem. [...]
rescuers targeted, one year on « In Gaza
January 23, 2010 at 01:52
They will not forget u our dear Man Arafah!
3071km
April 23, 2010 at 11:30
[...] he was killed. In a flash: on duty, retrieving injured and martyred; loading the casualties into his flashing [...]
january 4 « In Gaza
January 5, 2012 at 06:27
[...] long-term medic I worked with one night was the morning after ripped apart and killed by the 4000-5000 razor sharp 2 inch metal darts (“flechettes“) which [...]
medics in Palestine as newsworthy as those in Syria « In Gaza
May 27, 2012 at 02:25