From the Guardian · · 1m 50s
Couples separated by Gaza war
Wijdan Abu Matar and Sami Abu Tabaq wait for reunion after Gaza war.
In brief
Wijdan Abu Matar and Sami Abu Tabaq wait for reunion after Gaza war. Wijdan Abu Matar and Sami Abu Tabaq, separated by the Gaza war, await reunion after three years of separation. Originally reported by the Guardian.
Wijdan Abu Matar's family split
Wijdan Abu Matar, 43, fled Gaza with her eight children in November 2023 for medical treatment while her husband Hatem remained behind.
“I cannot carry all of this alone”
Bombing at home
A Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 led to an Israeli strike on 17 October that injured Wijdan and her family.
“We were sitting together, just about to start lunch when the bombing happened”
Severe injuries
Nour, 15, suffered a fractured skull and brain bleeding; Amna, five, had severe chest burns.
“The ceiling collapsed over our heads. Everything went dark.”
Medical treatment in Egypt
Wijdan took Nour to Egypt for treatment on 30 November 2023, but her family remained scattered across Egypt.
“I felt completely helpless”
Wijdan's burden
Wijdan became both mother and father to her children, but she is still separated from her husband in Gaza.
“I have become both the mother and the father to my children”
Hatem's injury
Hatem, Wijdan's husband, has a serious leg injury that limits his mobility and is displaced in a tent in Nuseirat.
“I am counting the days until I can see you again”
Financial struggles
Wijdan has no regular income and relies on donations; Hatem stopped receiving a salary 10 months ago.
“I see my children’s future slipping away in front of me”
Sami Abu Tabaq's story
Sami Abu Tabaq, a 29-year-old Palestinian photojournalist, fled Gaza with his fiancee Ola in April 2024.
“Loneliness kills me every day”
Separation from Ola
Sami and Ola were separated when Sami fled Gaza in April 2024, but they have not reunited for nearly two and a half years.
“You go, and I’ll follow you”
Ola's situation
Ola completed her nursing degree in Gaza but has lost family members, including her cousin Ayat Khadoura.
“I prayed, ‘God, please bring us together soon’”
Waiting for reunion
Sami waits for Ola to join him in Egypt, hoping she will find a way to leave Gaza through education or scholarships.
“I will wait for her for the rest of my life”
Here's the gist
Wijdan Abu Matar and Sami Abu Tabaq, separated by the Gaza war, await reunion after three years of separation.
