Hala Bassam Salem Madi

Location Rafah

Three-year-old Hala from Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip was very clever and an obedient child. She was very much looking forward to going to kindergarten. She liked to carry around a bag with a notebook and a pencil inside. She liked to play with her dolls and on a bicycle. “Hala took a lot of care with her looks and she liked to choose her own outfits,” her grandmother says through tears.

On 1 August 2014, the Madi family home was targeted by an Israeli war plane. No prior notice was given. The house was destroyed by the missiles and six people were instantly killed. Hala was one of those killed in the attack. Tens of others were seriously injured. “Nobody expected that our house would be bombarded,” Hala’s grandmother adds.