5 dead and 5 injured — names on a scrap of paper show impact of Gaza war on a US family

The main focus of this article is the impact of the Israel-Hamas war on a Palestinian-American family living in suburban Minneapolis, particularly how it has affected the family members in Gaza.

The family’s connection to Gaza is both personal and professional. Jehad Adwan, a nursing professor in the U.S., had trained at a hospital in Gaza. His wife, Fatma Abumousa, has family in Gaza, and their family home in Khan Younis was hit during the war.

The list mentioned in the article is a record kept by Jehad Adwan, which contains the names and statuses (killed or injured) of his wife’s relatives in Gaza. It serves as a way to track the impact of the war on their family.

The family learned about the bombing in Gaza through instant messaging apps like Telegram, where Gaza journalists posted information. They first learned that their hometown and neighborhood were hit and eventually confirmed that their family’s address was affected.

Five of Fatma Abumousa’s relatives were killed in the bombing, including three nephews aged 6, 7, and 18, her sister-in-law, and her cousin. Five others, including nieces and nephews, were injured, some with shrapnel wounds, and one is in a coma.

Jehad Adwan wants to emphasize that Palestinians are not just numbers but individuals with stories, dreams, and aspirations. He stresses that the Palestinian people seek freedom and equal human rights.

As of the article’s writing, the family’s situation was still evolving. They had learned of additional injuries related to the same bombing, with 18 people, including family members and neighbors, believed to be injured. However, these names had not yet been added to their tracking list.

The article was written by Trisha Ahmed, a corps member for the Big Big News/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues.