Haunted by grief, Gaza's displaced still wait overseas for return
CAIRO: Omar al-Hassayna fled Gaza for Cairo after an Israeli airstrike wiped out much of his large family. Three years on, he remains there waiting for enough stability, security and reconstruction in his still devastated homeland to return. Israeli strikes kill six people in Gaza, medics say Hassayna is one of more than 100,000 Gazans who left the enclave during the war that was triggered by the…
Omar al-Hassayna, a resident of Gaza, fled to Cairo after an Israeli airstrike devastated his family. Three years later, he remains there, awaiting the day his homeland can be rebuilt and stable enough for his return. Israeli strikes have killed six people in Gaza, and over 100,000 Gazans have left the area since the conflict started following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. They continue to mourn their loved ones and the destruction of their homes.
Hassayna arrived in Egypt, Egypt, but still carries the pain of losing his wife, four sons, and four grandchildren in a single strike on November 22, 2023. His oldest son and the widow of one of his deceased sons are also in Cairo, as is his daughter who was medically evacuated to Turkey. Despite the hardships, Hassayna continues to sell his firefighting equipment business to support himself in Cairo, where he has remarried.
There have been some returns to Gaza, with about 7,000 Palestinians going back in August. However, widespread displacement of those who left Gaza is unlikely until the territory's future becomes clearer. Hassayna believes that Egypt may prevent the return of those who fled. But, he remains hopeful that an international agreement and reconstruction efforts will make his return a reality.
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