Palestinian mother celebrates slain son's graduation by distributing sweets

A Palestinian mother celebrated the high school graduation of her son, who was killed by Israeli bombings, by distributing sweets in a makeshift camp in Gaza.

"[...] this year he graduated from high school. The results were just announced in the West Bank. Here in Gaza a lot of kids were denied these moments but I couldn't miss this moment. Because Yazan won two gifts, one in life and one in the afterlife. And the greatest gift God game him is Heaven," she said while talking to the Middle East Eye.

Yazan's mother said that the body of her son is still under the rubble in the area where Israel attacked with air strikes.

"He was killed in Al-Zahra area, the place he was in was targeted. He is still under the rubble, we couldn't retrieve him and bid farewell to him," she added.

"You used to tell him you would give away sweets?" the reporter asked her.

"Yes of course, I had told him to study and work hard and I will do this and that for you, like every mother trying to encourage her son. I decided to do this because of my promise to him and to honour his memory," she replied.

The situation in Gaza remains dire, with the Israeli military's actions resulting in devastating consequences. 

Entire families have been killed or maimed, and even evacuation centers managed by UNRWA have been targeted by the Israeli forces.

The United Nations (UN) has warned that it will take 15 years to clear the debris from Gaza, which is estimated to be hundreds of millions of tons.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) reported over 1,000 attacks on healthcare facilities in the occupied Palestinian territory since October 7.

New satellite imagery analysis by the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) has shown that 63% of Gaza's crop fields have experienced significant decline due to Israel's bombings.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated that 83% of Gaza is under evacuation orders or designated as ‘no-go’ zones by the Israeli military.

Israel's war on Gaza since October 7 has killed more than 39,000 people, with over 89,727 wounded, according to Palestinian authorities in Gaza.