Every ambulance or civil defense officer has a balance of tales that come with the end of the war to tell, and sometimes the officer himself is the story.
Qusai Salhia, 55, a civil defense officer in the Gaza Strip, tells one of the strangest stories of the recent Israeli aggression.
The fifth day of the aggression was the date of his daughter´s wedding, but he defied the circumstances and decided not to postpone her happiness, even if it was incomplete. He believed that the most beautiful joys are those that come without waiting.
Salhia decided to limit the wedding to the groom receiving his bride, and he told the “Al-Quds” reporter about this moment: “It was necessary to unite two hearts.”
This was a decision that was closer to sacrifice in light of violent Israeli aggression and bombardment, but Salhia considered it a battle of survival, and an image of victory over an occupation that wants us to live in homes of misery, rather it does not want us to live.
Salhia made all arrangements for his daughter to go out to her groom, but at the last moment he was not a part of them.
In the last hours of receiving his brother-in-law, a phone call came to him from his work, “an emergency mission… to be there urgently.”
Salhieh rushed to the civil defense car that arrived with his companions, and on his way to it he was dressed on the wheel of rescue clothes, and then he put on his helmet even without tying it tightly.
From the window of the car, he looked behind him at the door of his house, which was followed by his daughter, the bride, in her dress. She stood looking behind the abutting door. She did not say a word, but her eyes asked: “At this moment, Dad?”.. Her father exchanged a look of regret, waving peace. Call of duty, my love.”
Salhieh considers that every minute of work during wars may save a child who is still alive, and he also realizes that being late for work means that there is no alternative cadre that can do the job.
Civil Defense personnel play heroic roles during every Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, despite their dilapidated equipment, and the occupation refuses to introduce them to talk. This is remarkable in saving the lives of citizens trapped under the rubble of destroyed residential buildings.
He left Salhia to go to work and the bride to her groom, while the same day came the moment of treachery in which the occupation bombed their house, like other homes of civilians and security.
When Salhia learned of this, he turned back and his heartbeat accelerated, “Oh, Lord, Esther.. Oh, Lord, Esther.” Who knew that his heroic roles would be performed on the ruins of his house?!!
The bride´s daughter´s age was short when she learned of the bombing of her father´s house, but she was reassured when she learned that none of her family was harmed.
Salhia´s house is one of more than 205 homes that were bombed and demolished due to the eleven days of Israeli shelling on the Gaza Strip.
Salihiya describes what he went through as a “very exceptional day” in the history of his work with the Civil Defense since 2007, and he tells the “Al-Quds” reporter: “This is our destiny, but this will not prevent us from serving our people, even at the expense of our happiness,” adding: “What we do It has a humanitarian and patriotic mission that we are proud of.”
Salhia has been working in the Civil Defense since 2006, and has witnessed four Israeli wars against the Gaza Strip, with worn out capabilities and equipment, but with determination and determination to continue his humanitarian missions.
The Civil Defense sometimes stands helpless in front of the screaming citizens, and in cases it cannot intervene to save the victims; For the lack of sufficient and necessary equipment and for the weakness of its capabilities, or for targeting its crews.
The Assistant Director General of Civil Defense for Operations and Emergencies in Gaza, Samir al-Khatib, said that “in previous wars, we used to hear the screams of citizens and we could not save them.”
Meanwhile, the bride´s daughter´s phone rang, and Salhia replied directly: "I´m fine, my love, we´re all fine."
He smiles and then adds: “The money and the house are compensated, my daughter. The important thing is that we will not allow this cowardly occupier to steal our joy in you.” Salhiya seemed to be on a mission to save his daughter’s happiness. It is one of the images of steadfastness and Palestinian heroism.
