Maha Abdulhade was in Egypt with her oldest son Hassan when the Israeli attack started. She had come to register Hassan in the medical school at Al-Zagazeeg University in Egypt. Her other four children, Mahmoud 17, Hala 16, Jana 15, and Fayes 12, were at home in Khan Younis with her husband.

While waiting to cross the border back into Gaza, Maha and her son followed the news every moment. She couldn’t sleep. Her anxiety levels were through the roof. Maha is my cousin, my sister-in-law, and my dear friend. As a mother, I understand how difficult it is to be far from your children in such a terrifying situation.

When Maha was finally allowed to cross the Egyptian border, rockets and bombs were exploding. People were screaming and running every which way. Children were crying. No one understood why Israel was attacking Palestinians who were returning home. She was forced to return to Egypt and wait. She stayed in a house full of relatives who had fled Gaza.

When Maha finally arrived back in Rafah she went directly to see her children in Khan Younis, which is normally a 30-minute drive. The road was still passible at that time. But Maha could not find her mother and siblings. Israeli soldiers were shooting everywhere. The massive bombing went on all night. No one slept.

Maha was no stranger to war, but this was worse than any other Israeli attack. She remembered 2008 when over 1,400 Palestinians were killed, including 400 children and 100,000 left homeless. In 2014, she survived a military operation that killed over 2,100 Palestinians and destroyed more than 7,000 homes.

At the beginning of the most recent attack, Maha received a head injury. Her son Mahmoud was hurt as well. “We had no choice but to leave our home,” she told me. “I never imagined leaving my home but the Israeli attack turned everything upside down. Israeli planes dropped papers from the sky ordering people to leave their homes and go to Rafah. People collected some clothing, blankets, and food.”

In the early morning, Maha and her family fled and went to Rafah to live with her mother and siblings. Israel then destroyed their house and most of Khan Younis.

“We have become 17 family members living in one house. Israel is still threatening us. Rafah was not safer.”

Many of Maha’s neighbors have been killed. Her children lost teachers and friends and were terrified they would be next. Maha’s brother-in-law, Samih, was killed in Khan Younis by the Israeli army. He and his pregnant wife were awaiting twins. They also had a two-year-old. Samih’s death shocked the children. Maha’s husband rushed to Khan Younis, not worrying about the dangers he faced. He wanted to see his beloved brother one last time.

When Maha called Hassan in Egypt to tell him about the death of his uncle, he cried for days. Maha, an engineer in the Science and Technology University in Khan Younis, understood the importance of an education. She told her son, “You must never stop studying. Never give up on your dream to become a doctor. You can miss your family any time. Now you must be strong. God bless you.”

Hasan answered his mother through his tears. “Please mother, do your best to come to Egypt as soon as possible. Don’t wait for the aggression to end.”

Maha has decided to cross the border with her family and join her son.