Mum Discovers Gaza Home Was Destroyed When Neighbour Sent WhatsApp Photo of Bombed Living Room
In an exclusive revelation, a Palestinian mother-of-three has shared the horrific instant she learned her family home in Gaza was completely obliterated by Israeli bombing, all through a simple WhatsApp message from a neighbour.
Alaa Radwan, who managed to flee Palestine in 2024 after enduring regular nearby airstrikes in temporary housing, recounted the traumatic episode. Her family now resides in Egypt, with plans to relocate to the United Kingdom in the coming months so she can pursue a Master's degree in London.
The Dream Home Lost
"It was a really beautiful home," Alaa told the Mirror. "We had just bought it outright, clearing the debt a few months before the genocide. Imagine being 30 years old and achieving homeownership—in Gaza, people typically wait until 50 or 55. We worked tirelessly to realise that dream early."
However, on October 13, coincidentally her birthday, the Israeli army ordered Alaa and her family to evacuate their area. They were displaced to Tel al-Hawa, a suburb in central Palestine, where they all slept in one room, a common wartime necessity.
Pretending for the Children
"We started sleeping in the same room, and you can't imagine how tough and terrifying the airstrikes were around us," she added. "My kids would panic initially, but I decided to convince them these were happy sounds, like fireworks. I would clap and cheer, saying 'yay, it's fireworks.' They began to associate the noise with celebrations, though I was terrified inside."
About a month-and-a-half into their displacement, Alaa received the dreaded message. She was part of a WhatsApp group for residents of their building, where her home was on the fourth floor.
The WhatsApp Revelation
"One of the residents sent pictures of the building, and that's when we knew that our home was bombed," Alaa explained. "Months later, we asked someone to go there and send us pictures of the apartment inside."
The photos revealed a scene barely recognisable from their former abode. Once adorned with plush furniture, mounted living room lights, spotlights, a wall-mounted TV, and huge red drapes, the room now had no identifiable furniture, cables dangling from the ceiling, and a giant hole opening to the outside world from the living room corner.
Emotional Devastation
"It's devastating," said Alaa. "I'm someone who gets attached to things—I have plates that are about 15 years old. I hold onto items for too long and feel sad if I break a mug or lose a pen. But since then, I've stopped getting attached to anything."
Six months later, the Israeli army bombed a house perilously close to where the family stayed in Tel al-Hawa. Everyone was asleep when the explosion occurred, with fire engine and ambulance lights flooding their bedroom.
Decision to Flee
"It was really close," Alaa recalled. "I was sleeping with my children, and the glass windows shattered into small pieces. It was truly traumatic. On that day, I decided we had to leave Gaza to protect our children."
They escaped to Egypt, forced to start life from scratch after losing their home, jobs, and with loved ones still in Gaza. Alaa disclosed losing many relatives, colleagues, and friends during the conflict, with her family surviving on just one tiny meal daily at the height of the genocide.
Hope for the Future
Despite the trauma, Alaa remains hopeful for a brighter future. She raised sufficient funds through a GoFundMe campaign, hitting £40,000 earlier this month, to move to the UK. She has secured an unconditional place at Goldsmith's University in London to study a Master's in Media and Communications starting this September.
"It's a dream to move to London—a new beginning for a family that lost everything in Gaza," she said. Reflecting on her past, she admitted life in Gaza will never be the same. "We had jobs, homes, restaurants, and the beautiful beach. Now, you don't have the same people, places, or streets. You have nothing."
