In Jabalia, Gaza, little Mohammed plays happily between the arms of his father and the family who cared for him during his disappearance.
Approximately 16 months ago, a 13-month-old Mohammed was found crying beside his mother’s lifeless body after an attack on the school where the family sought shelter.
Amid the chaos and fear of displaced families fleeing, Mohammed disappeared.
His father, Tareq Abu Jabal, spent over a year searching for Mohammed while another man from the school was unknowingly looking for Tareq.
‘A little guest’
Rasem Nabhan and his family, also displaced, were sheltering in al-Rafei School in Jabalia when it was bombed in late December 2023.
Amid the chaos, Rasem found Mohammed crying beside his deceased mother and decided to care for him.
He carried the baby as they fled the school, eventually reuniting with his wife and children.
They welcomed the baby, nicknamed Hamoud, into their family and continued their journey southwards.
Growing attached
Despite the challenges of displacement, Rasem and Fawakeh saw Hamoud as a source of warmth and joy.
Over time, Hamoud grew attached to his new family, and they to him, providing care and love during difficult times.
Feeding and caring for Hamoud during the ongoing conflict in Gaza posed financial challenges, but the family did their best to provide for him.
Blessings
As they moved around, Hamoud became a beloved member of the family, bringing blessings and small gifts from kind-hearted neighbors.
Despite the hardships, the family embraced Hamoud as their own, providing him with love and care in the midst of turmoil.
“Fawakeh whispered as she looked at her youngest son, “He rests in my lap, comes straight to me when he seeks solace. Abdullah, my four-year-old, would become envious and weep whenever I showered the baby with attention.” The couple’s children – Mohammed, 20; Islam, 19; Amina, 18; Maryam, 12; Nour el-Huda, 10; Mustafa, nine; and Abdallah, four – treated the baby as one of their own. Despite numerous offers from organizations, orphan sponsorship programs, and even other families willing to adopt the baby, Rasem declined. “He is my eighth child. I have a deep love for him, and I rejected the idea of someone taking him away from me,” Rasem stated firmly. “I always said that I would only let him go if I found his real family.” However, in a quiet voice, he confessed, “But in my heart, I prayed that I wouldn’t find them. I stopped searching. We had become too attached.”
“A Father’s Search”
As Rasem recounted his tale, Mohammed’s father Tareq, 35, sat nearby, listening and smiling at his youngest son. The father of three – Omar, 14; Tolay, nine; and Mohammed, now 26 months – had never stopped searching for his missing child. Tareq recalled the tragic day when the al-Rafei School was bombed, resulting in the loss of his wife and three children. Amidst the chaos and devastation, Mohammed was separated from his father. Tareq’s search for his son was met with conflicting information and dead ends. Despite the challenges, Tareq continued to search while taking care of his injured children.
The family’s return to northern Gaza led to a chance encounter between Tareq and Rasem’s family, leading to the revelation that Mohammed was indeed alive and well. The joyous reunion brought tears of relief and happiness to both families as they watched a video that confirmed Mohammed’s survival. Wajah Rasem terasa akrab karena kami telah berlindung di sekolah yang sama.”
Setelah menanyakan ke sana-sini, Tareq menemukan di mana keluarga Rasem tinggal dan bergegas ke sana.
“Aku, anak-anakku, dan saudaraku pergi, dan aku memperkenalkan diriku kepada Rasem, yang langsung mengenali aku.
“Mohammed tidak mengenali aku dan menangis,” ujarnya, tersenyum dengan rasa syukur.
Keluarga Nabhans merasa bimbang, senang bahwa Hamoud, yang sekarang mereka tahu bernama Mohammed, telah menemukan keluarganya tetapi sedih karena dia akan pergi.
“Rasanya seperti aku sedang memberikan sebagian dari jiwaku,” kata Rasem. “Saat yang paling sulit adalah ketika mereka pergi, dan Hamoud memanggilku sambil menangis, ‘Baba, Baba!’”
Untungnya, keluarga Mohammed tinggal di dekat, dan keluarga angkatnya bisa melihatnya sering [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera]
“Aku menghabiskan malam menangis karena sedih atas kepergian Hamoud,” kata Fawakeh, matanya berkaca-kaca.
“Anak-anak perempuanku menangis selama seminggu penuh. Rumah terasa seperti sedang berduka. Hamoud telah menjadi bagian dari kita,” tambah Fawakeh sambil mendekap Mohammed yang berkunjung, yang masih memanggilnya Mama, erat.
“Aku bilang kepada suamiku dan Tareq bahwa Hamoud seharusnya sering datang melihat kami. Dia seperti anak kita, dan dia sangat melekat padaku.
“Untungnya, mereka tinggal di dekat, dan anak-anakku selalu pergi menjemputnya, sehingga dia bisa menghabiskan waktu bersama kami. Dia membawa kami kebahagiaan,” ucapnya ceria.
Melihat keluarga Nabhans bermain dengan putranya, Tareq tersenyum. “Aku sangat berterima kasih kepada mereka, dari lubuk hatiku. Mereka membesarkannya seolah-olah dia anak mereka sendiri. … Dia bersama keluarga yang menunjukkan kepadanya kasih sayang dan perhatian ibu yang dia kehilangan.
“Tapi seperti yang bisa kamu lihat, saat Mohammed melihat Rasem, istri mereka, dan keluarga mereka, dia benar-benar melupakan aku,” kata Tareq.
“Dia sangat mencintai mereka.”