With the beginning of the Israeli escalation in the Gaza Strip, the child, Layan Madoukh, raised her two little hands while she was wearing her prayer uniform, praying to God to protect her country and its people, men and women, old and young, from the oppression of the hand of the occupation, which abuses their right to a safe life, so that that hand reaches her and she loses her life.
Her father, Bilal, distraught, has not dried his tears since the day of his daughter’s martyrdom. “The basil house, and its fruit, the last of the bunch, two weeks ago, she embraced me and kissed me and asked me to pray for her.”
Despite her young age, which did not exceed eight years, his relationship with his spoiler, Layan, was more than that of a father with his daughter. He told the newspaper “Palestine”: “I used to play with her and pamper her, without depriving her of anything. She was older than her age in her behavior and words, to the extent that she used to accompany her.” Her sister is studying human medicine.
Everyone who sees Layan likes to sit with her, talk to her and flirt with her. “Her departure turned off the light in my heart,” the father lamented.
Hope to survive
As for her sister Rawan, in her first university year studying medicine, who tried to apply what she had studied at the university for the first aid course on her injured sister, but she did not succeed, she says: “I knew that there was no trick by hand and that God’s predestination prevailed, but I planted an atom of hope to save her, although the possibility of survival was Zero, my tears fell at that time, unable to do anything, and I forgot at that time that she is my sister Layan, and my thoughts focus on my attempts to save her.”
She says: “I don’t know where to start talking about Layan, even though she is small, letters are not enough for her, because she is the smartest person in the house. She always told me that it is true that I am in the second grade of primary school, but my mind is like a girl in the tenth grade… She was very intelligent.”
Her relatives, classmates at school, and children of her neighbors everyone knows her, and everyone who sees her relates to her. “She has a fundamental voice. She loves to participate in school radio, especially on national occasions. She loves to talk about the homeland, and sings for it with all her heart,” Rawan added.
Layan dreamed of following in the footsteps of her older sister to join the college students, “she likes to accompany me to lectures, and asks me to accompany her to laboratories,” noting that Layan’s dream of studying medicine was formed for her since she became aware of this world, and experienced the suffering of her blind grandfather before his death.
Layan’s Orphan Question
On the first day of the escalation, Layan watched a video of the daughter of the martyr Jamal Khaswan crying and asking about her father. And I live in an orphanage? What do I want?
Rawan was choked with tears as she lamented her family’s condition. “She was afraid that we would be martyred, but she left and left us like orphans without her. We search for her in all the details of our lives.”
Rawan returns to silence again, then continues: “Several hours before her martyrdom, I spoke to her with many conversations. I used to love her talking about dreams. When you see my books, she tells me that you and I are doctors. We want to open a clinic together… She loves to wear the doctor’s white apron, and she always says, Oh God, Oh God.” I wish I could get into university quickly.”
Supposed Message
On social networks, activists posted many videos of the child, Layan, and a supposed message spoken by her mother, in which she says: “Hi Mama.. I am talking to you from heaven / the other world, where nothing hurts me anymore when I comb my curly hair, I remember now how you used to respond For those who comment on my hair by saying: (We made our hair curly from God, originally people go to hairdressers to make it curly).
In the letter, which was translated into English, Layan adds: “Mama… I went and forgot to take my dress that I made you go to the market twice to find it. Please Mama, don’t be sad every time you see it, I now wear a more beautiful dress than it, Mama… I know you will cry a lot every time.” You contemplated my image, whenever I prepared breakfast for my brothers, whenever your voice escaped from you to call me, I did not respond, whenever I passed through what was left of my memories in the place.
But I am sending this message of mine to you to reassure you, perhaps if I had stayed alive, I would have lived through all the suffering that my peers live through, I would have grown up without hope in life, I would have learned and not had a job opportunity, I would have written poetry but not found anyone to read it, I would have lived the pain of losing any of you by a treacherous missile, I would have been overwhelmed by helplessness in a small spot Trapped from the map.
As for now.. I left without all this fatigue, and whoever is next to God does not get tired, so do not be sad, I am waiting for you, Mama, live as you want, for we have a day when we gather here, I will prepare the ceremony for your reception from now on, be well, and take good care of my brothers, I love them all I love Papa very much, and I love you Mama.
