the Universal law of humans says
everyone has a right
to a name
nationality
to life
And
Good neighbourliness
So the people shared,
but the bad ones had other ideas
… the good samaritans fled
With only their keys hidden in the human chest
close to their heart,
promising to return
three quarters of a century later
the killing machines eliminate all
Including
the halo of the permanent victims
As night becomes day,
some go and others come
just after floods of Al Aqsa’ broke its banks
they entered the world.
from time to time,
the holy ones whisper heroic new names
to the newborns as the would-be ululating women,
now dressed in mourners’ garbs, remain muted
710 elite fighters
not yet old enough to say
Mama, Papa
let alone Hamas
710 fighters
the women piercing through their hidden faces
Witness those who went before they came
Not yet 12 months old
Every now and then,
the families wait
and pray for the doves
bearing olive leaves
Every now and then,
the families wait
for the white storks
bearing their bundles of joy
It is now too dangerous to travel
as birds of prey
colonise the skies
Eagles – with USA etched on its wings
Not happy with starvation and thirst as weapons
they swiftly snoop down
snuffing their last breaths
Let me tell you of Muhammad Abu al-Qumsan,
the father who had to exchange
certificates named Aser and Aseel
from birth to death within 30 mins
FALLEN
at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah,
WAILING
It’s all he can do as he waves
goodbye to the twins
and his beloved Jumana as she walks with them to heaven’s gate
710 babies in one year
fighters
who fought only for a chance to live
Hassen has worked in trade union movement, civic associations, and anti apartheid sports movement led by the South African Council on Sports (SACOS) as well as NGOs for the past while. He has worked with civil society groups opposing harmful and exploitative mining and extractivism. Hassen is active with the SA BDS Coalition.
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This story has haunted me, compelling me to write and remember.On Sept. 16, Gaza’s Health Ministry released a 649-page document containing the personal information of 34,344 Palestinians killed by Israel’s onslaught on the enclave over the past 11 months. The list is incomplete as many have not yet been fully identified. Over 11,300 of the identified victims are children, and 710 of them were killed before they turned 1.