In January 2024, six-year-old Hind fled from Israeli ground forces along with her uncle, aunt, and four cousins. The IDF then began firing at the car they were in, and only Hind and her cousin Layan (15) survived.

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Brave Layan called the Palestine Red Crescent Society for help. She told the aid workers, "They're shooting at us, the tank is right next to us!" Layan was then shot and killed; the aid workers could hear her screams through the phone line.

 

They called back, and Hind, now the only survivor in the car, answered.

Hind stayed on the line for three hours while she sat surrounded by her dead family members. "I'm so scared. Please call someone to come and get me," she pleaded.

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At the hospital, her mother, Wissam, waited for news about her daughter. She carefully held a small pink handbag that belonged to Hind. It contained a notebook where Hind practiced her handwriting.

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The Palestine Red Crescent Society worked tirelessly to get permission from Israel to rescue Hind. After three hours, they finally received approval, and paramedics Yusuf Zeino and Ahmed Al-Madhoun rushed to the scene. But the ambulance never made it; it was hit by an American-made missile.

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The IDF killed Yusuf and Ahmed. They were not found until twelve days later, after the IDF had withdrawn. The ambulance was completely destroyed and appeared to have been run over by a tank.

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Yusuf and Ahmed were heroes, killed in their attempt to save Hind.

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Hind's mother Wissam never got the chance to return the small pink handbag to her daughter. Hind never got to write any more letters in her little notebook.

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Sources: The Guardian, Zeteo, AlJazeera, Forensic Architecture, 

NRK (in Norwegian)