The relentless conflict in Gaza has produced another harrowing tale of survival against impossible odds. Mariam Abu Dagga, a 74-year-old grandmother, was buried alive for twelve agonising hours under the rubble of her own home, which was destroyed in an Israeli airstrike.
Her incredible rescue, carried out not by official emergency services but by determined neighbours digging with their bare hands, underscores the catastrophic human toll and the collapse of civil infrastructure in the besieged territory.
A Night of Terror and a Miraculous Rescue
The attack on the Abu Dagga family home in the southern city of Khan Younis occurred without warning. Mariam was inside when the building was struck, instantly trapping her under concrete and debris. For half a day, she lay immobilised, surrounded by the dust and destruction of her former life.
Her survival hinged on the bravery of local civilians. With official rescue teams overwhelmed or unable to reach the area, neighbours launched a desperate dig through the night. Their relentless efforts finally paid off, pulling Mariam from the wreckage alive.
The Human Cost of War
Mariam's story is a stark microcosm of the plight facing countless Palestinians in Gaza. Her account of lying in the dark, praying for rescue, is a powerful testament to the civilian suffering that continues to mount.
The strike is part of a wider Israeli military campaign, launched in response to the deadly 7 October attacks by Hamas. While Israel states it targets Hamas operatives and infrastructure, the devastating impact on the civilian population is immense and growing.
Mariam Abu Dagga’s miraculous survival is one story of hope amidst a landscape of immense loss and destruction, raising urgent questions about the protection of non-combatants in modern warfare.
