Salamah Al-Bayoumi and her young son, Ali, are some of the newest casualties of Israel’s brutal war on Gaza.
The young mother and son were killed when an Israeli airstrike hit the family home in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.
Salamah and Ali, who lived in Jordan, recently arrived in Gaza to visit their family. The war broke out during their visit.
Their funeral just took place and Salamah’s brother wrote the following eulogy for his sister:
“Salamah, along with her beautiful, intelligent child, Ali. You came from Jordan, bringing your child for us to love, embrace, and bid farewell as they soared to heaven.
“Be at peace, dear sister. Do not worry about Ali, and do not worry about bringing him special milk. Do not convert money to buy milk for Ali. God is feeding and nurturing the birds of Paradise.”
“Oh, Salamah, you left us prematurely! Who will make the universe happy with their smile after you? Who will celebrate my birthday after you? Who will surprise me as you do? To whom will I open my heart and confide my secrets after you?
“Whom shall I complain to and seek advice from? Who will tell me I am right and strengthen me? Whom shall I consult after you? When I want to buy a gift for a loved one, who will I ask for guidance?
“What will I offer my guests for a meal? From you, the beautiful, elegant, generous, kind, and loving lady. The lady of all ladies, the reformer of reformers, the journalist, lawyer, social reformer, the initiator, the astute, the bearer of initiatives, surprises, and smiles.”
“Who will console us, and who will we console?
“Salamah, I want to ask you, my dear, you always loved what I wrote for you, and you said that I am good at expressing what’s on your mind, and you eagerly awaited my words. Well, now I’m writing this for you. I love you, my dear moon.
“I do not know who will console me in this tragedy, or who I will console. Your husband, whose burden you carried as soon as the news came like a thunderbolt. I said to myself, ‘His wife and son after traveling and displacement.’ Oh God. Your cousins and aunts, who will console them? I cannot comprehend the magnitude of this calamity that has left me speechless.
“How can I eulogize you, you who were always a source of happiness, a smiling face, and kind words? I loved Rafah because of your eyes. We used to argue over your famous words, ‘Stay for dinner… stay overnight, we’ll invite so-and-so and so-and-so, then you can visit Abu Azat and return. We’ll stay up all night, and tomorrow morning, you can leave.’ This series continued for three days.”
“I remember, Umm Musa, when I told you I wanted to invite my friends over for Maftoul (couscous). You said, ‘Sure, my brother. I can make Maftoul for you, and I’ll send it with Musa.’
“And by God, Musa (may God heal and protect him) brought it, and you brightened my face in front of my friends just as you always did whenever we spent time together.
“Oh, Umm Musa, who was always kind to everyone and shared with everyone, along with her husband, we cannot bid them farewell, nor their sons and daughters. We cannot pray for them. We’ll meet you in Paradise, my dear ones of the heart.”
(The Palestine Chronicle)
– Abdallah Aljamal is a Gaza-based journalist. He is a contributor for The Palestine Chronicle from the Gaza Strip. His email is abdallahaljamal1987@gmail.com
