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A man from San Diego has said he is mourning the loss of 22 members of his family following the 11-day conflict between Israel and Hamas which has claimed hundreds of lives and led to the destruction of homes and businesses across the Gaza Strip.
Husam El-Qoulaq told Fox 5: "I can't really begin to describe how it feels to have lost 22 members of our extended family."
My uncle Taisir just lost 21 members of his family. Four generations killed in Israeli missiles: from 6-month-old to 90-year-old. 6 months! The only survivor in the two households is 10-year-old Aziz al-Qoalak. pic.twitter.com/ofDOXwLGZn
— Ammar Campa-Najjar (@ACampaNajjar) May 18, 2021
Relatives killed during the fighting reportedly included Qusai Sameh Fawaz al-Kolak, a six-month-old baby, Adam Izat Muin al-Kolak, aged three, and Rula Muhammad Muin al-Kolak, who was six. The others who died ranged in age from eight to 90 and extended to four generations.
"Taher was 23 and had just graduated in engineering," he said, recounting the personal story of just one of the victims.
His comments came as Israel and Hamas agreed a ceasefire on Thursday, but only after more than 200 people had died and many more had been injured or made homeless by the fighting.
"Of course, the cease-fire is welcome, but the cease-fire will not bring back my family," El-Qoulaq told Fox 5.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Security Cabinet approved the truce deal on Thursday after accepting an Egyptian proposal.
"The political leaders emphasized that the reality on the ground will be that which determines the future of the campaign," the statement from Netanyahu's office said.
Israeli defense officials claimed the war had resulted in "great accomplishments," while a Hamas official said the ceasefire was "a victory to the Palestinian people."
The agreement brings to a close the fiercest fighting in the region since the 50-day war in 2014.
Fighting erupted on May 10 when Palestinian protesters and Israeli police clashed at flashpoints in Jerusalem, including at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
The threat of eviction for dozens of Palestinian families had already led to heightened tensions in the region.
Hamas militants in Gaza later fired rockets into Israel, while Israel launched airstrikes targeting Hamas.
