An Irish-Palestinian man lost 10 members of his family to a missile attack in Gaza yesterday.

Zak Hania, a resident of Dublin, said the missile struck a family home at 2am Gaza time, killing all occupants inside.

They ranged in age from a ten-year-old girl to an 80-year-old woman.

Mr Hania said their bodies are now stuck in the rubble.

“It’s a concrete house and we have no machines, no bulldozer to take the concrete out,” he told The Hard Shoulder.

“Three boys were sleeping on the first floor, and I rang my family yesterday, they said they managed to get parts of them – they are not full body.

“Seven people on the ground floor are still under the rubble.”

'Humanity is failing us'

Mr Hania, who was recently trapped in Gaza for seven months, said his heart is “full of sadness”.

“The wound in my heart is deepening and the whole world is still watching,” he said.

“How many people have to die for the world to wake up?

“Almost 40,000 people have been killed and 70% of them are women and children.

“Humanity is failing us as we witness live on television a massacre, a genocide, and a crime unfolding before our eyes.”

Damaged buildings in in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip. Image: Associated Press / Alamy Stock Photo

He said people have “big families” in Gaza.

“I have four sisters and one of them died of hunger about four months ago in northern Gaza,” he said.

“My oldest sister, she was a diabetic and she died of hunger and lack of healthcare and enough medicine, and we couldn't go to see her or to say goodbye.

“I also lost my nephew and I lost about, 32 of my direct cousins, we counted them yesterday, and about 50 members of my extended family, also many of my friends and neighbours.”

'Massacres'

Mr Hania said Israel has “taken its mask off” and is “showing its real face”.

“This state was established on our blood, established by massacres,” he said.

“By displacing my parents and my grandparents and taking our land and killing as much as they can to ethnically cleanse the place and have the land for themselves only.

“Though Palestinians before 1948, they were welcoming all the Jews who were coming from Europe, fleeing from persecution and we had no problem with that.”

Mr Hania added his thanks to the Irish people:

“I want to thank all the Irish, the great Irish people for their solidarity, their kindness and for being true humans.”

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