Tamim Daoud, a four-year-old boy from the al-Remal neighborhood in the Gaza Strip died after experiencing two panic attacks following Israeli air strikes that targeted a residential building near their home.
Tamim’s death has left his eight-year-old sister feeling empty and alone, and his mother is still in shock and disbelief. The family is mourning the loss of Tamim, who was eagerly awaiting his fifth birthday next month.
Tamim was sleeping in his home in the al-Remal neighborhood of the Gaza Strip when he was awoken at 2am on Monday night by Israeli bombs, Middle East Eye (MEE) reported. Tamim’s father, Mohammed, said that the sound of the bombing was deafening and that the family’s building still reverberated even after the air strikes had finished.
“He (Tamim) woke up frightened and terrified,” Mohammed said.
Tamim began to have a panic attack, and despite his mother’s attempts to soothe him, he continued to cry and gasp for air.
Tamim’s mother, Lina, 29, is eight months pregnant.
Although Tamim eventually returned to sleep, he experienced another panic attack five hours later, and his father rushed him to the hospital, MEE reports. Despite receiving medical treatment, Tamim’s heartbeat was very faint and he was admitted to the intensive care unit.
He died at dawn, and his father said that his son’s heart could not bear the horror of the bombing.
“My son was admitted to the intensive care unit. The doctors told me that he died at dawn,” Mohammed told MEE.
“My little son’s heart could not bear the horror of the bombing,” he said.
Tamim’s eight-year-old sister, Judy, is now left feeling empty and alone. Her parents are worried about how she will cope with the absence of her brother, who was also her close friend. Despite her grief, Judy is a source of strength to her parents, who are also fearful of losing her and become anxious when her mother cries.
Tamim’s mother, Lina, could not believe the news of her son’s death and continued to insist that he was alive and would return to the family. The heavily pregnant Lina had hoped that Tamim would be around to meet his new brother. The family is in shock and disbelief that Tamim will not be there to meet his expected sibling.
More than 30 Palestinians and four Islamic Jihad (IJ) commanders had been killed, and 76 people injured in the latest round of Israeli attacks on Gaza, according to the Palestinian health ministry and the Israeli millitary.
At least five children are among the dead.
