The Electronic Intifada 12 September 2024
Palestinians fleeing their homes take refuge at an UNRWA school due to intense Israeli attacks in Deir al Balah, central Gaza, 9 September.
APA imagesFor Anas Daher, 24, the situation in the central Gaza city of Deir al-Balah over the past month has been “terrifying.”
Daher is a nurse at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, and Israel bombed both the gate of the hospital and the camp on its grounds at the beginning of September.
“Quadcopters hovered closely over the hospital for many days before the incursion, playing bizarre sounds,” he said, like dogs barking. “On the day we were forced to flee [on 25 August], there was a sniper nearby opening fire at people running away.”
Daher has since returned to his work at the hospital, but he said the quadcopters and Apache helicopters continue to hover above.
“Our hospitals are being targeted,” he said. “We call on the world to protect them. We really need an urgent end to this war.”
Nearly 1 million people have been displaced to the 15 square kilometers of the municipality of Deir al-Balah, with people seeking shelter anywhere they can, on soccer fields, hospital grounds and schools.
Yet the Israeli military continues to attack the area, with its military operations intensifying since the beginning of September. The area has seen unprecedented destruction, with buildings obliterated by missiles and others bulldozed.
And now there are reports that hovering quadcopters are also playing distressing recordings of dogs barking and weapons firing in Deir al-Balah, especially at night.
Such disturbances were last reported by Middle East Eye in April 2024, at the Nuseirat refugee camp, and they have continued to this day.
“It’s unbearable terror”
Shadi Abdul Jawwad, 19, was forced to leave his home on Salah al-Din Street when Israeli troops began their military ground operations in Deir al-Balah.
After suffering through nonstop gunfire, explosions and warplanes overhead, he sought refuge in his uncle’s home, located in central Deir al-Balah.
Even though the home was in an Israeli-designated “safe” zone, Israel bombed the block and caused damage to several homes, including his home.
During and after this time, Israeli quadcopters buzzed around the buildings. Abdul Jawwad and his six-member family were then forced to sleep in a shelter.
“We could clearly hear their buzzing,” Abdul Jawwad said. “But they were also playing sounds of dogs barking and fake shooting to intimidate us.”
“We hurried to see the dogs when the audio started playing. But there were no dogs present. Even when we hear the quadcopters firing nonstop, and they appear to be shooting ruthlessly, we quickly realize that this is not real.”
“I’m not sure why this is occurring. It’s simply inconceivable,” he said.
After that, they remained inside and did not open the windows or doors, because they were certain they would be shot by Israeli quadcopters or snipers if they did so.
“During night hours, we can’t even sleep,” he said. “It’s unbearable terror … Not only do drones scare us, but also massive Israeli attacks, fake firing, dog barking from quadcopters and other Apaches shelling.”
Abdul Jawwad said that people are becoming more familiar with tactics like audio recordings, yet it is all overwhelming.
“It’s been 11 months. We are mentally tired. We pray for an end,” he said.
Nighttime panic
The quadcopters have also been flying over Khuloud al-Ramlawi’s rented apartment in Deir al-Balah for the past few weeks, preventing her and her family from sleeping.
One of her four young children has cerebral palsy, and he has been terrified lately of the sounds of dogs barking. Al-Ramlawi has seen these lit-up flying quadcopters at night and determined that they were the source of the sounds.
“I get up, panicked, four times every night,” she said. “The sounds are alarming. They are deceitful and lure us with dogs barking. However, there is absolutely nothing outside except those quadcopters. We even sometimes get up to ferocious shooting. And it’s the same thing – recorded sounds played.”
“No mother should go through this,” she said. “It’s hellish and nightmarish. I don’t know what is next. But I can’t see my children always terrified.”
She wishes that she could make her children feel safe again.
“We had a life once. Israel has destroyed everything we had. My dream is just an end to the war and a return to my destroyed house in Gaza.”
Abubaker Abed is a journalist and translator from Deir al-Balah refugee camp in Gaza.
