Gaza Herald- The hardest part of Abdel Salam Al-Banna’s ordeal was not being trapped under the rubble; it was surviving alone. For seven days, he remained buried beneath the debris of a residential building in Gaza, surrounded by darkness, hunger, and thirst. When he finally emerged into the light, he discovered that his entire family had been killed.
A Return That Ended in Tragedy
Al-Banna had returned to the Gaza Strip after spending more than five years in Malaysia, hoping to rebuild a quiet life with his wife and two young children. He dreamed of stability, a small home where his family could grow together.
But just over a year after his return, that dream was shattered.
The Beginning of the Ordeal
On October 7, Israeli explosions and airstrikes bombarded Gaza. Sensing immediate danger, Al-Banna kept his children home, away from school and kindergarten. As the bombardment intensified, daily life became dominated by fear and uncertainty.
Forced Displacement
On November 9, Al-Banna and his family were forced to flee their home in Al-Nasr neighborhood, west of Gaza City. They sought refuge in a seven-story residential building alongside relatives, hoping it would offer safety.
However, after a brief lull in fighting, the violence resumed with greater intensity. Tanks advanced toward areas near Al-Shifa Hospital, and movement outside became nearly impossible due to drones and gunfire targeting anything that moved.
Fear Inside the Building
Al-Banna described those days as the most terrifying of his life. Surrounding buildings were being bombed by Israel one after another, while his children cried in fear, begging, “Dad, we want to go back to Malaysia, we don’t want to stay here.”
The Building Is Destroyed
As Israeli occupation forces approached, tanks reached the building’s entrance, and soldiers stormed inside with a surveillance dog. Al-Banna feared imminent kidnapping or worse.
Although soldiers never reached their apartment, two weeks later, without warning, a massive explosion brought the entire building down. It was later believed the structure had been rigged with explosives.
“In a single moment, everything collapsed,” he recalled. “My children were killed instantly. The ceiling fell on me, and I lost consciousness.”
Seven Days Under the Rubble
Al-Banna regained consciousness after seven days beneath the debris. At first disoriented, he soon realized the devastating truth, his wife and children had been killed.
He described seeing his young son beside him, lifeless, with his finger raised as if reciting the “Shahada”.
Trapped with his mother-in-law and a young girl in a tiny pocket of space, they endured extreme thirst and hunger. In desperation, they drank their own urine to survive. They rationed a small bag of chocolate, eating just one piece per day.
Escape and Aftermath
After nearby explosions shifted the rubble, a small opening appeared. Al-Banna crawled toward it and saw daylight for the first time. He helped the child escape first, then his mother-in-law, before finally emerging himself.
“The scene looked like an earthquake had struck,” he said. “A seven-story building reduced to rubble.”
Barefoot and wearing torn clothes, they were met by stunned neighbors who rushed to help. But relief quickly turned to grief as Al-Banna confirmed the loss of his wife, his two children, and his sister-in-law.
Months later, on March 15, 2025, rescue teams were finally able to recover their bodies and lay them to rest.
Al-Banna survived, but his survival marked the beginning of a life defined by loss, carrying the memory of a family that never made it out of the rubble.
