DaysofPal — What began as a desperate attempt to secure food for their family ended in tragedy for three brothers in the Gaza Strip, leaving one dead and two others with life-altering injuries amid widespread hunger after nearly two years of war.
On July 19, 2025, Mohammed, Mousa, and Hussein Dabbour set out to obtain flour from an aid distribution point as shortages worsened and food prices soared.
Their family of 13 had been struggling to survive, sometimes going days without food.
Only two brothers returned.
Hussein was killed, while Mohammed lost his eyesight completely. Mousa lost one eye while trying to rescue his brothers amid heavy gunfire. The family says Israeli forces opened fire on civilians seeking food aid.
Nearly a year later, Mohammed, 25, and Mousa, 29, continue to live with the physical and psychological consequences of that day while waiting for permission to travel abroad for medical treatment unavailable in Gaza.
“We went to get flour and food for our family. We are 13 people,” Mohammed told Palestine Newspaper.
“There was no food or water. Sometimes we went two or three days without eating.”
Their search for food ended when Mohammed was struck in the face, suffering catastrophic eye injuries that left him permanently blind.
He also sustained a fractured jaw and injuries that affected his senses of smell and taste.
He was initially taken to Nasser Medical Complex before undergoing surgery at the Jordanian Hospital.
Although he later received a medical referral for treatment abroad, he has been unable to leave Gaza.
“Every day I search for someone to help me,” he said.
“Doctors told me there is hope if I can undergo delicate surgeries abroad, including retinal repair and corneal transplants, but those procedures aren’t available here. I just want a chance to regain my sight.”
Mousa remembers the moment their lives changed.
After collecting food aid, the brothers came under intense gunfire as they attempted to leave the distribution site.
“We were three brothers, and only two returned,” he said.
“Hussein was killed before my eyes. When we tried to pull him to safety, Mohammed was shot, then I was hit. Gunfire was coming from every direction.”
Mousa said the shooting continued as he tried to evacuate his wounded brothers.
He managed to find a tuk-tuk to transport them, but he said it also came under fire.
“I carried Mohammed and Hussein with the help of others. As we tried to leave, the tank kept firing until it hit the tuk-tuk. I lost control,” he said.
Mousa arrived at Nasser Medical Complex bleeding heavily but waited for hours before undergoing surgery because of the overwhelming number of casualties.
“From 7 a.m. until 4 p.m., I was waiting,” he said. “They gave me first aid, and then I went into surgery. That’s when I lost my eye.”
Despite his injuries, Mousa said the emotional pain has been even harder to bear, especially when speaking with his young daughter.
“She asks me, ‘Dad, where did your eye go? Why don’t you have two eyes?'”
“That question hurts more than the injury itself.”
Mousa is now seeking treatment abroad, hoping either to restore part of his vision or undergo reconstructive surgery and receive a prosthetic eye.
The brothers’ story reflects the broader reality facing many Palestinians who have been injured while attempting to obtain food aid amid widespread hunger in Gaza.
With Gaza’s healthcare system severely strained and access to specialized medical care extremely limited, many wounded people remain unable to receive the treatment they need.
Nearly a year after the incident, Mohammed continues to live in darkness, Mousa is adjusting to permanent vision loss, and their family continues to mourn Hussein, who left home in search of food and never returned.
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