Gaza – Aamer Saeed al-Ramlawi, 45, was the daddy of 5 youngsters, two daughters and three sons. He was beloved by many, not least by his cousin and finest good friend, Hassan Youssef al-Ramlawi, 33.
Aamer additionally beloved barbecuing and cooking, particularly on the seaside, which slot in along with his obsession with seafood, particularly crab.
“As a result of my spouse is a tremendous seafood prepare dinner, he’d at all times ask for an invite for crab soup,” Hassan instructed Al Jazeera with slightly smile.
“Earlier than October 7, we spent most of our time collectively; hanging out each Thursday night, barbequing, taking part in playing cards, and speaking each different day. It was beautiful,” Hassan instructed Al Jazeera of life earlier than the conflict on Gaza broke out.
Aamer the phenomenon
“Aamer was lively … his spirit unmatched, stuffed with happiness and love. He was at all times organising outings despite leisure in Gaza being restricted even earlier than October 7 as a result of Israeli blockade of Gaza,” Hassan stated.
“He was a nursing director at al-Sorani Clinic, and every time somebody known as him for assist, he would rush to them, even when we had been hanging out collectively.
“He at all times had chocolate in his pockets for the children and took tonnes of photographs each time we went someplace. His greatest concern was dropping somebody he beloved, and he would pray continually that everybody would keep secure.”
Aamer on his method to carry out the Umra pilgrimage in 2020 [Courtesy of Hassan al-Ramlawi]
On October 15, a few week after Israel’s assault on Gaza started, Hassan and his household determined to heed the veiled Israeli threats and relocate away from “deliberate operations” in Gaza Metropolis, the place they lived.
“Aamer and his household refused to go away. I known as him each day to verify on him. The concept that he could not reply to considered one of my calls was terrifying since his space was beneath intensified assaults,” Hassan stated, including that the final time he noticed Aamer was on the day he left the north.
Surprising information
On October 25, Hassan was in his uncle’s home in Deir el-Balah, having made it there in a harrowing trek from Gaza Metropolis.
As he sat checking on-line for information of what was occurring in the remainder of Gaza, he was surprised to see a photograph of his 24-year-old cousin Doaa with a caption that stated she had been pulled out of the rubble after an Israeli raid hit their residence within the al-Taj 3 constructing in Gaza. Aamer lived in the identical constructing
He confirmed the image to everybody round him they usually all agreed that it was Doaa, who had survived. Hassan began calling Aamer frantically, checking each on-line platform he may to see if there was any information about his cousin.
Hassan taking a selfie of a gaggle of mates, together with Aamer third from left, after a shawarma feast [Courtesy of Hassan al-Ramlawi]
“I known as and not using a response. I couldn’t settle for and even think about the concept that Aamer and his household had been killed. They had been moments of sheer devastation,” he recalled sadly. “His nieces and nephews had been injured, however there was no information about Aamer, that night time, nightmares tore my mind aside.”
Harmful journey again to Gaza Metropolis
The subsequent morning, Hassan determined to return to Gaza Metropolis to search out out what had occurred to his cousin.
“There have been no floor navy operations at the moment. It was definitely life-threatening to take action, however I needed to since he was actually my different half,” he stated.
It took him about three hours to make the 20-minute journey to Gaza Metropolis from Deir el-Balah however as quickly as he arrived he rushed to the constructing solely to search out it utterly flattened.
“Civil defence employees had been nonetheless nonetheless pulling our bodies from beneath the rubble. I noticed half a physique, squeezed between the columns of the destroyed constructing partitions. I questioned it if was him.
One other selfie by Hassan with Aamer within the background, centre, carrying a gray jacket [Courtesy of Hassan al-Ramlawi]
“I went to al-Shifa Hospital, the place I discovered his brothers and requested them. They didn’t know if he had been killed – all they knew was that he was beneath the rubble.”
With none data, Hassan headed again to Deir el-Balah, annoyed and scared.
That night he received a name from one other cousin who instructed him that Aamer had been killed.
“The second he knowledgeable me of his homicide, a tape of our recollections collectively began taking part in in my thoughts.
“I checked out myself within the mirror, eyes stuffed with tears, an exhausted physique with a breaking voice, and a pale face with out the trace of a smile.
“He wasn’t simply my cousin; he was my brother, my good friend, and my soulmate.”
Amid his unhappiness about Aamer’s loss of life, Hassan can be painfully conscious that the locations he frolicked along with his cousin have additionally been obliterated.
“Israel didn’t even give me the possibility to recollect him, destroying these locations. Nonetheless, I’ll retailer our recollections in a particular field in my thoughts.”
Aamer at all times had a pocket stuffed with chocolate for the children and a willingness to assist anybody who wanted him [Courtesy of Hassan al-Ramlawi]
Remembering Cousin Aamer, a nurse who beloved crab, and was killed by Israel
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