The Salem family’s story is a harrowing testament to the devastation wrought by Israel’s military actions in Gaza. Alaa Salem recounts the destruction of their home, the loss of 37 family members, and the arrest of his cousin, Haitham Salem, in November 2024. The family, already struggling with the aftermath of bombings, was forced to flee their neighborhood as Israeli tanks advanced and airstrikes intensified. Haitham and his brother Mohammed were among the men detained during the evacuation, while women and children were allowed to proceed. After months of uncertainty, Mohammed was released, bringing news that Haitham was alive but unaware of the family’s tragedies. Haitham’s wife, Intisar, and their three children were killed in a separate bombing, leaving him to face unimaginable grief upon his release. Haitham, an electrical engineer unaffiliated with any political group, endured brutal torture during his detention, falsely accused of ties to Hamas. His return to Gaza was marked by tears and anguish, as he mourned the loss of his family and the destruction of his homeland. The Salem family’s ordeal underscores the human cost of the conflict and the enduring scars left by war.
‘Are my kids alive?’ The Palestinian freed from Israeli detention to find his family killed
