Life during the Gaza war
During the early stages of the Gaza war, Israel's nascent bombing campaign over the territory was, according to commentator Fawaz Turki, nearly indiscriminate, striking "homes, multistorey residential buildings, schools, hospitals, marketplaces, mosques and all standing infrastructure, densely populated refugee camps." [6] With the absence of any civilian air raid shelters, Nabhan and his family; his wife, his daughter Maysa, and his grandchildren Reem and Tariq, resided in their home at the Nuseirat refugee camp. [7]
Killing of Reem and Tariq Nabhan
On 21 November 2023, at approximately 02:00 [8] local time, an airstrike launched by the Israeli Defense Forces struck Nuseirat, including Nabhan's home. [7] The blast had caused the structure to collapse over the family while they were asleep. Nabhan recalled waking up screaming, for his grandchildren while attempting to wade through the debris in the dark, but was unsuccessful in rescuing them and eventually fell unconscious. [4] Maysa recalled from the attack: "I heard Reem screaming next to me, I told her there is something heavy on top of me, I can’t reach you. I said my final prayers and next I woke up in the hospital." [5] Reem and her five-year-old brother Tariq were trapped under the rubble and killed. [7] Nabhan stated that they had not been informed by Israel of any airstrike. [9]
The next day, Reem and Tariq were prepared for burial. [4] [5] A video depicted Nabhan holding and kissing Reem, opening her eyelids, speaking to, and shaking her as if she were still alive before he gave her to the paramedics for burial. [7] Another video showed him fixing the hair of Tariq as the two children were laid on the ground underneath a white shroud. [1] The videos soon went viral on social media. Nabhan's usage of the Arabic phrase "soul of my soul" while speaking to Reem for the final time received particular recognition. [8] [5] [7]
In early 2024, a video of Nabhan kissing his granddaughter, Reem, who had died from an Israeli airstrike, went viral. [10] [11] His grandson, Tarek, also died in the same airstrike. [12] [13]
Further attention was brought to Nabhan after Australian band The Herd released a song titled Soul Of My Soul, in reference to Nabhan's usage of the phrase. [14]
He was interviewed by CNN after the destruction of his home due to an airstrike, [5] and later posted videos on social media documenting his life during the war, which mainly showed him helping injured people in hospitals and giving aid to children. [15] [16] The fame he gained through the viral video allowed him to become a global icon and a one-man relief agency, regularly distributing food and water throughout Gaza. [8] Throughout the bombardment of Gaza, Nabhan gained prominence for his steadfastness and patience through his faith and trust in Allah (God). [8]
Death
On 16 December 2024, Nabhan was killed following an Israeli bombing strike. [17] [1] Saed Nabhan, Nabhan's nephew, told CNN that eyewitnesses reported his uncle rushed to assist injured individuals after a tank shelling in their neighborhood but was immediately killed by a second tank shell. [1] His death was condemned by the Council on American–Islamic Relations. [18]
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