'Deaf people are the most vulnerable in the Gaza war'

Those unable to hear Israel's missiles are now being taught how to survive in a war zone writes Ezz AI Din Abu Eisha

- Ezz AI Din Abu Eisha

Every Israeli bomb that falls on Gaza and shakes the strip reminds Sara of her son Hussein.

Deaf and nonspeaking, Hussein had left their tent carrying a pot to bring back food. When occupation soldiers suddenly opened fire at the hungry crowds queueing for aid, Hussein could not heed the danger and was instantly killed in the line of fire.

Hussein’s lifeless body was brought to their tent so that his mother could bid him farewell and bury him. Since that day, Sara has lived in constant fear for the lives of her three remaining deaf and nonspeaking children. Whenever she hears gunshots or explosions from raids, she is gripped by anxiety for her children.

Sara carries her grief inside her soul. She mourns a son who could not hear the sounds of raids and shells, the whizzing of bullets or the movement of armoured vehicles. Her fear for her other deaf children’s lives has led her to forbid them from leaving the tent. She hopes to shield them from the dangers they could face in the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza.

Speaking to Independent Arabia, Sara said: “I went through a great deal of pain when I buried my son, and I don’t want to experience that again with my other children. They are all deaf and at risk in a war where there is nowhere safe to take refuge, so I refuse to let them leave our shelter alone.”

Whenever the tents where displaced people shelter are attacked, Sara holds her children tight, hoping to shield them from the shrapnel. She accompanies them every time they leave the tent. She explains that she does this out of fear for their safety, as they cannot hear any sounds and could get hurt if there is bombing nearby.