we are not numbers
emerging writers from Palestine tell their stories and advocate for their human rights
Imagine what it is like for a 5-year-old child to suddenly lose his family — his safety and shield from the world!
Karam with his father and sister. Photo provided by Sara Serria
A child is a gift from heaven to their parents, a precious piece that makes you feel like you own the whole world, and life just would not be the same without them. This happiness of parenthood came to Maryam and Alaa Alkhaldy when they were blessed with a boy, Karam.
Karam had a relatively comfortable life. His mother, Maryam, had a tough childhood, growing up without a father after he passed away in 2008 when she was just 11 years old.
Because of this loss, she tried her best to make Karam’s life as full as possible, wanting to compensate him for the hardships she went through.
Karam grew smart, with an intelligence that made him seem like a little man.
I remember in June 2021, when Karam became a big brother to a baby girl named Ilia. Maryam organized an amazing birthday party for her. Being a talented baker, she made a gorgeous cake and filled the room with delicious food. But when it was time to blow out the candle, they noticed that half of the cake was missing!
Guess who did it? Of course, it was Karam, hiding under the birthday table and sneaking pieces of cake.
Karam loved toys, especially Spider-Man and the Ninja Turtles. His father, Alaa, worked hard to provide for him, and Mr. Karam also had a passion for dining out.
Karam adored visiting his grandmother (his mother’s mother), where he was always treated as a king, his every wish fulfilled.
Karam was like a wheat spike, always growing anew. If you had met him before the war, you would have seen a gleam of hope and life in his eyes.
Even though he was so young, he had great ideas and dreams for the future. He aspired to be a great doctor and travel the world.
When Karam started preschool, his mother was thrilled. She prepared all his supplies and eagerly sent him off each day. In 2023, Karam turned a year older and entered preparatory school, filled with excitement.
Two months later, war struck, and nothing was left untouched. The north of Gaza was heavily bombed, and warnings were issued to move south. Karam’s family relocated to Rafah to stay safe.
Karam in a displacement camp in Khan Younis. Photo provided by Sara Serria
But at 1 a.m. on November 27, the Israeli planes bombed the house where Karam’s family had taken refuge in southern Gaza, in Rafah.
The bomb wiped out the family, leaving only Karam and his uncle alive. Maryam, Alaa, Karam’s paternal grandparents, and his little sister, Ilia, were all killed.
Can you imagine that? A 5-year-old child suddenly losing everything: his family — his safety, and his shield from the world — especially at a time of such violence and destruction.
Karam suffered severe trauma. He could not speak for a long time. Everyone gathered around him to comfort him, but he said nothing. Over time, he began to utter a few words, but when his aunt spoke to Karam, he changed the subject.
The relatives then tried to scare him into talking: “If you do not speak, the soldiers will take you from us.” Finally, Karam started to speak, describing the horrifying events.
Young Karam said, “Before sleeping, Ilia tired Mama Maryam, but I listened to her and went to the bathroom to get ready for bed. While there, I fell to the ground from the explosion. The ambulance took me alone, but I strangely felt happy as its siren made me feel like I was in a cartoon.”
He did not fully understand what had happened, especially since he had lost his glasses during the bombing.
His grandmother told him not to be sad because his family was in heaven now.
Since then, whenever he bought something, he would hide it and say, “This is for my sister Ilia.” Despite all the pain, Karam never forgot.
Three months after the massacre of his family, his grandmother shared with me that Karam came to her, saying he saw his mother and started running after her, calling out, “Mama Maryam! Mama Maryam!” But when she turned around, it was not her.
As I mentioned earlier, Karam is a smart child. He always asked his grandmother to try calling his father’s number; she would say: “This is not possible.” He would insist, “Try!”
One day, when the phone rang, Karam’s eyes lit up with joy, and he shouted, “Maybe it’s Baba! Maybe it’s Baba!” But there was actually no one at the other end.
Even so, he did not give up. He asked his grandmother for the phone, opened the Messenger app, and sent a message to his mother, saying, “Good morning,” along with an emoji of a flower! Maybe, just maybe, she will reply.
This child always wants to watch his old videos with his family on the phone. When he watches them, he can describe every detail.
What a heartbreaking sadness! The children of Gaza live through pain that even adults cannot bear. There are countless examples of their suffering.
Karam’s friend, Jihad, is another child who lost his father. The man was killed by the occupation forces February 2024, at Kuwait Circle while trying to get flour to feed his children. He was left to bleed to death.
Before he passed away, he screamed for help, but those who tried to assist were shot. Eventually, his family managed to take him and bury him. Jihad, who was only 7, hugged him and said, “I was so cold, but when I hugged my dad, my heart became warm.”
Oh my God, how can a 7-year-old speak with such wisdom? Where is the world? Where are the free people?
Returning to Karam, he is a child who has lost all the beautiful things in his life. When he wanted to play, he would take a ball and try to play with a picture of his father.
One time, a year after the martyrdom of his family, he tasted cola at a relative’s house. When he tasted it, his eyes sparkled with tears, and he said, “Oh my God, it is the same cola that Baba Alaa used to bring.”
How could anyone compare someone else’s food to his mother’s? Karam would say, “It is like Mama Maryam’s food, but hers is tastier and better.”
How much longer can Karam endure these tragic situations? How can he control the flood of emotions inside him? Who should take responsibility for Karam now? Karam, who has lost his small family, his cozy home, and even his glasses!
How is it possible for an army, supported by the entire world’s governments, in this horrific war, to disregard all the ethics of warfare?
Yet, no matter what… no army will ever triumph over the shattered hearts of our children.
