A Checkpoint Between My Children and Me

Palestinians in the city of Jenin and its refugee camp are enduring difficult days, reminding them of the Israeli invasion in 2002, prolonged incursions, widespread destruction of infrastructure, and silent departure of victims, while the besieged await relief.

Walid Abu Al-Heija, 45 years old, from Jenin refugee camp, serves as the Disaster Management Unit Coordinator for the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) in the northern West Bank. He is reliving days similar to those he experienced during the large-scale invasion of the camp by occupation forces, an experience that motivated him to join the PRCS afterward.

 Wife and Children

Abu Al-Heija described how difficult it is to work in the Disaster Management Unit while being a husband and father, especially during military incursions. During these times, he is often required to stay at his workplace for days on end, only managing to briefly visit his family to check on them before returning to work.

One of the hardest challenges he faces is responding to emergency calls from residents while, at the same time, being unable to answer calls from his wife and children due to the overwhelming workload. This, he says, causes him significant distress, as he remains unaware of his family’s well-being.

He added that seeing an injured child during rescue operations, when he and his colleagues rush them into an ambulance, reminds him of his own children, which deeply affects him emotionally. He stated that although he remains composed during the crisis, the emotional weight returns later when he is home, and the haunting images replay in his mind, making it a deeply painful experience.

Walid is a father of three, two daughters and a son, whom he can only see every two or three days due to the demanding field conditions and the constant risk of road closures, which often force him to sleep at the center. His work requires him to handle emergency calls for assistance, so he keeps his phone on at all times, even during the moments he is at home.

Disaster Management

Abu Al-Heija stated that the Jenin refugee camp is completely sealed off, with its roads and infrastructure destroyed. The occupation forces have demolished the water, electricity, and sewage networks. Most residents have been displaced, with only a few families remaining on the outskirts of the camp, while the inside remains completely abandoned.

Abu Al-Heija explained that the PRCS Disaster Management Unit in Jenin is part of the Governorate's Emergency Committee. Its members carry out assessments and respond to families’ emergency calls. He added that they collaborate with the Ministry of Social Development and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), distributing mattresses and blankets to families, particularly those in the areas surrounding the camp, where access is hindered due to the presence of occupation forces.

He added that they deliver food supplies provided by the Ministry of Social Development or UNRWA to these families after obtaining coordination because no one can reach them otherwise. Additionally, they deliver medicines to families in these areas or those living in buildings occupied by Israeli snipers. They also deliver oxygen cylinders to the patients in the areas surrounding the camp.

He stressed that these families are among the most severely affected by the aggression as they are trapped in a closed military zone with no permission to leave. The Disaster Management Unit has been committed to delivering food, water, medicine, and other essential supplies to them. Additionally, the unit assists with their transportation needs, whether for evacuation or transferring patients to the hospital.

Medical Days

The unit’s work extends beyond responding to emergency calls. In collaboration with the Community Work Department of the PRCS, they have organized medical days for displaced individuals from the camp. Among these efforts was a medical day held at the Care and Rehabilitation Society for the Blind in the Al-Marah area, where approximately 100 displaced individuals are sheltered. Another medical day took place at the Burqin municipality, which hosts the largest group of displaced families from the camp, estimated at around 5000 individuals.

Scenes Etched in Memory

Some difficult scenes leave a lasting imprint on the memory of those who witness them, moments whose impact may not be immediately felt, but whose marks remain, haunting witnesses long after the events have passed. Abu Al-Heija affirmed this as he recalled some of the most difficult situations he faced during the aggression.

Among these memories, Abu Al-Heija recounted the case of an elderly man who went missing at the beginning of the aggression. Video clips circulated, showing occupation forces firing near the man and at his feet, after that, his fate remained unknown. Abu Al-Heija explained that they sought coordination daily to enter the camp and reach him. Eventually, they managed to reach him and entered his home where they found him with only a small supply of water and some vegetables and fruits that were nearly spoiled.

Another man in his forties, whose photo spread on social media, and whose fate was unknown. He mentioned that a few women returned to the camp to check on their homes during the incursion. On the same day, one of them said that she saw him in one of the areas inside the camp. He added that they continued trying to obtain coordination until they finally received permission to enter, where they found the man injured with a bullet in his thigh.