Gaza man reunited with his five children after months of painful separation

Unicef’s child protection team says it came under fire while attempting to reunite the family

Saed Hassunah with his five children, who he hadn't seen since March. Photo: Saed Hassunah

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Vehicles belonging to the UN children’s agency came under fire in Gaza on Tuesday while they attempted to reunite five children, including a baby, with their father after months of separation.

Two cars clearly marked as belonging to Unicef were hit with live ammunition while waiting at a designated holding point near the Wadi Gaza checkpoint during a child protection mission, Saleem Oweis, Unicef’s communications officer in the Middle East told The National.

“Their mission was to reunite five children with their father. One vehicle was struck by three bullets, but fortunately no injuries occurred,” Mr Oweis said.

The team managed to proceed with the mission and the children were successfully reunified with their father, he said.

The UN spokesman said authorities were investigating the source of the shooting and had yet to determine who was behind the attack.

“What we know is that the shooting took place in a designated holding area that should have been protected from fighting,” Mr Oweis said.

The incident illustrates that the UN and other humanitarian actors do not have “the needed safe access inside Gaza for the delivery of supplies and life-saving services and continue to face serious risks”.

A family reunited

Saed Hassunah, 35, a journalist and activist, is in Gaza's Deir Al Balah and had been unable to reach his family since they were separated in March.

"Look at how happy they are and their smiles,” Mr Hassunah told The National, an hour after he was reunited with his five children.

"There are no words to describe our happiness."

He thanked the UN team for their courageous efforts in getting his children to him.

Mr Hassunah was separated from his wife and six children in March as they sought refuge in Al Shifa Hospital. Israeli forces detained him and several other men, forcing his wife and kids to flee to the south.

He found out while watching television that his wife and eldest son had been killed in an Israeli air strike on April 24. Since then, his other children had been trapped in Gaza city where the heavy fighting made it impossible for Mr Hassunah to reach his children.

"Thank Allah my prayers were answered, my children are in good health and are over the moon," Mr Hassunah said.