"The rain came pouring down on Osama al-Hussari's home, the storm that hit Gaza City earlier this week refusing to relent. Inside the 57-year-old's home in the Shati refugee camp were not just his wife Rawiya and their 10 children, but also extended family members, including his brother's children making up 25 people in total. The home had survived two years of Israeli bombing, but was heavily damaged."
"Rainwater was leaking in from the roof, flooding the inside, and forcing Osama to attempt to fix the problem on Tuesday. I called a neighbour and friend who works in construction to help inspect the problem and seal the openings where water was coming in from, Osama told Al Jazeera. But as they clambered onto the roof, disaster struck. The neighbour, Mohammed al-Helou, also 57, was inspecting one corner using a hammer. The roof then collapsed."
"Six others, including two children, were injured, some left with broken legs. It was absolutely terrifying, like a torrent of dust and stones exploding in my face, Osama says, wiping away tears. We survived by a miracle, but my dear neighbour and friend lost his life without warning, and his family lost him in an instant. The al-Hussari family home collapsed on Tuesday morning as a result of heavy rains that hit Gaza, and an inherently weak structure after two years of Israel's war."
Heavy rains flooded a heavily damaged home in Shati refugee camp, forcing 57-year-old Osama al-Hussari to attempt urgent roof repairs while sheltering 25 relatives. Rainwater leaked through an inherently weakened roof that had survived two years of Israeli bombing. A neighbour and friend, Mohammed al-Helou, 57, inspected a corner and the roof collapsed, trapping him under rubble; his body was recovered by civil defence teams two hours later. Six other people, including two children, were injured, some with broken legs. The family survived but now faces heightened vulnerability during winter with scarce housing options in Gaza.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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