Children in Khan Younis recall air strikes' horror

Earlier today, an Israeli air strike hit the area of Khan Younis in Gaza, killing several people.

Middle East Eye spoke to several people who had witnessed the strikes, including two children, who shared the horrors of witnessing their family members under the rubble caused by the explosion.

"I was in my room sleeping with my mama and sister when I heard the sound of the bombing. I was scared. I opened my eyes, started crying and ran to mama," said Tasneem al-Dahdouh, the niece of Abdallah Nakhala, who lives next to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander Ali Ghali who was killed in the strike.

'I'm still scared of playing with my friends outdoors'

- Tasneem al-Dahdouh

"I cried a lot when I saw my uncle, Abdul Karim [Abdallah's younger brother], under the rubble. I'm still scared of playing with my friends outdoors," said Dahdouh, who is nine years old. Abdul Karim was slightly injured in the strike after a wall collapsed on him.

Wissam al-Hindi, a 41-year-old father of four, lives on the 4th floor, directly under the flat that was bombed. Also asleep at the time of the strike, he woke to the sight and sound of stones falling on him and his wife. He quickly went to see his daughter, Maya, in her room.

"Many stones fell on her. She had a lot of bruises. The sight of the rubble was terrifying. I still don't know how she got out from under the rubble alive," Hindi said."She had two stitches in the head. Thanks to Allah our wounds were light."

Hindi's six-year-old son, Mahmoud, who was sleeping in his parents' room, woke to the sound of her sister Maya crying.

"When I saw my sister, Maya, I cried a lot. My elder sister carried me on the street while running to our relatives’ house. The ambulance took baba and Maya," Mahmoud told MEE.

"I was scared as they went to the hospital. I was deeply sad when I saw Maya’s wounds. I can’t play with her now as she is in pain. I'm still afraid of going to buy chips from a grocery and going back to our house. My toys, school books, and jacket were ruined by the bombing."

Maya, who was crying from pain, wasn't able to speak about what happened.