Her sister Rahma is fair-haired and has blue eyes. Their ages are separated by thirteen years. However, Malak, who lost her father in an Israeli attack, views the four-month-old as a gift that cannot be adequately appreciated.
She exclaims, “I love her so much, in a way no one else knows.”
When the first anniversary of the battle drew near, the news returned to Gaza to meet with Malak and others. In February, just after the passing of her father, 32-year-old farm laborer Abed-Alrahman al-Najjar, we had our first interview with Malak.
The father of seven, who was reportedly struck by shrapnel, was one of the more than 70 victims in an Israeli commando operation.
effort to rescue two hostages held by Hamas in Rafah. When the raid occurred, he and his family were sleeping in a tent for refugees.
Their tent was situated not far from the battleground. Malak was attacked and lost an eye. She also sustained a side wound. She was so traumatized at the time that she cried out in agony, “I’m in pain,” to a colleague. My father passed away. Enough already!
Doctors have since inserted a little white spherical into her empty eye socket. Until the war is over and she can hopefully get fitted for a genuine prosthetic eye, it will have to do.
