A Palestinian academic working in Türkiye’s Van province, Asmaa Younis, has lost 21 relatives, including her father and brother, since the beginning of the conflict in Gaza.
Younis, a faculty member in the Religious Studies Department of Basic Islamic Studies at Van Yüzüncü Yıl University, is following the events unfolding in Palestine with concern and fear for the lives of her loved ones.
A mother of four, Younis lost her father, brother, nephews and nieces, an aunt, as well as cousins. She received news of the death of her father-in-law on Sunday and voiced condemnation of Israel’s attacks on civilians.
She told Anadolu Agency (AA) that she follows the developments on television and that Israel bombs schools and mosques, as well as hospitals indiscriminately.
"We do not have peace of mind here and are not happy because children and the elderly are losing their lives in my country. My family is under fire there. How can I be fine? My heart, my mind are with Gaza. I am looking at the phone the whole time, waiting for who will die next," Younis said.
Saying that she could not reach her family for a long time following the Jabalia refugee camp attack by Israel, she added: "Both my father and brother lost their lives at the Jabalia refugee camp attack. That day, they had dinner together after the Friday prayer. My old father was craving dates. My brother went out to buy dates for him. The neighborhood was bombed. I learned about it days later through a phone call from my brother-in-law. I was shocked and very sad."
"Two days before his death, my brother sent me a voicemail. He said he could not find bread and water. No aid can go there. We cannot talk the whole time since there is no internet and electricity. My mother and five siblings are there, but I cannot reach them. I saw that my husband’s sister got wounded on television," she added, indicating that she wants her mother and siblings to be brought to Türkiye.
The Israeli army launched air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.
At least 9,770 Palestinians, including 4,800 children and 2,550 women, have been killed in the Israeli bombardments in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli death toll is nearly 1,600 people, according to official figures.
Besides the large number of casualties and massive displacements, basic supplies are running low for Gaza's 2.3 million residents due to the Israeli siege.