Moussa Muhammad Qandeel shared harrowing details of the tragic massacre inflicted by Israeli occupation forces upon his family in Khan Younis, located in the southern Gaza Strip, last December.

The Israeli massacre, which claimed the lives of 24 family members and led to the detention and torture of Moussa and his siblings, adds to a grim tally of similar atrocities perpetrated against Palestinian families amid the ongoing Israeli genocide.

Moussa's account of the atrocities, shared on his social media platforms, sheds light on the profound suffering endured by countless Palestinian families since Oct.7.

Unspeakable horrors of southern Gaza amid Israeli genocide

In a distressing turn of events, the family members of Mohammed Darwish Qandeel found themselves trapped in the fortified basement of their residential building in a desperate bid to escape relentless Israeli airstrikes.

However, their sanctuary was shattered when Israeli occupation forces, bolstered by an array of military hardware and firepower, stormed the three-story structure, consisting of seven residential units.

During the incursion, the IOF uncovered the family's hiding place, where 23 women and children had sought refuge, and separated them from the five men, among whom was Moussa.

The men were then subjected to a brutal ordeal: their hands tied behind their backs and their eyes blindfolded, enduring hours of relentless torture and interrogation within the confines of the building.

Reports from the site indicate a chilling disregard for basic human rights, with IOF employing tactics such as firing bullets dangerously close to the detainees, vicious physical assaults, and even despicable acts of humiliation, such as urinating on the helpless victims.

Adding to the horror, the IOF proceeded to ransack the premises, looting all valuables including money, gold, and electronic devices. However, amid the chaos, one mobile device managed to evade detection, thwarting the complete plundering of the family's possessions.

The agony of uncertainty 

After two months of detention, there is still no information available regarding the whereabouts of the family.

The Israeli military opted to detain Moussa Muhammad Qandeel and his brothers, Druze and Mustafa, along with Mustafa's 14-year-old son. Meanwhile, Moussa's other brothers, Shahin and Musab, remained at home with the women and children, following orders from IOF.

The Qandeel family endured approximately two months of detention, with Moussa spending his time in an Israeli interrogation facility without any formal charges leveled against him.

Throughout his 58-day detention, Moussa faced rigorous interrogation, torture, and attempts at humiliation, all in a bid to weaken his resolve.

Upon his release, Moussa was dismayed to discover that while his brother Druze and nephew had been released approximately a month after their arrest, his other brother Mustafa remained in detention as of the current date.

Leaving the Israeli detention, Moussa was confronted with the disheartening reality that there were no updates regarding the remaining members of his family, who were still holed up in their residence, surrounded by Israeli occupation forces. Communication had been severed following a week since the raid on December 5.

Women, children not to be allowed to leave besieged home

Israeli aggression persisted as the family remained trapped in their home, cut off from essential supplies for a harrowing eight days. Despite desperate pleas for assistance from the Red Cross and other authorities, they were unable to leave the area.

During this period, Israeli military vehicles relentlessly demolished the family's residence and surrounding property, unleashing a barrage of rockets and gunfire.

Adding insult to injury, the IOF meticulously targeted the home's basement with two devastating missiles on December 14.

Simultaneously, four layers of roofing collapsed, burying the remaining family members under approximately 200 tons of debris, iron, and concrete.

IOF transformed Qandeel Family home into a military zone

For four months, Moussa endeavored to visit his family home, only to be thwarted as the IOF had declared the area a closed military zone. This measure was implemented due to the building's location on Salah al-Din Street, a vital logistical artery for Israeli military operations. 

After 120 days, access to the residence was finally granted. Upon arrival, Moussa was confronted with the devastating aftermath of an Israeli bombardment, which killed 24 members of his family. Retrieving their remains proved to be a traumatizing process that spanned several days.

Among the casualties were 18 children, ranging in age from two to 18 years old, and four women, alongside Moussa's brothers, Shahin and Musab. Heartbreakingly, one child, aged 5, remains trapped beneath the debris.

Moussa dug to retrieve his family's bodies after 120 days, by hand

Following the Israeli withdrawal from Khan Younis, Moussa undertook the solemn task of retrieving the bodies of his children and relatives, who had been martyred 120 days earlier, from beneath 5 meters of debris comprising rubble, iron, and concrete.

Over 14 days, Moussa, alongside others, dug by hand to recover the bodies of women and children from within the rubble of their home.

Using clothing and personal effects as identifiers, Moussa painstakingly differentiated between the martyrs, distinguishing his sons from those of his brothers', and discerning his mother from the wives of his siblings.

These 24 martyrs are etched indelibly in Moussa's memory, as well as in the collective consciousness of fellow people of Gaza, symbolizing the toll exacted by one of many ruthless Israeli massacres.

Read more: Day 208: 34,568 killed, 77,765 injured in Gaza