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Cups of coffee are being poured with care into small paper containers, each one serving as a comforting embrace.
Nearby, under a covered courtyard, women of varying ages are sitting, immersed in their individual expressions of grief.
Some are overcome with sobs, while others appear dazed, and others are in a state of desperation.
The occasional sharp cry pierces the stillness, yet the scene carries a strange sense of tranquility.
Updates on the Israel-Iran conflict
We arrived at the moment when Tamra, Israel, has come to a standstill.
Everyone here is in anticipation of the return of the bodies of the four Khathib family members, who were tragically killed when an Iranian missile struck their home on Saturday night.
Aunt of the deceased girls, Layla, is struggling to come to terms with her loss.
“Such a profound loss. It pierces my soul. We lost our entire family. Four souls taken from us. I struggle to grasp this. It’s beyond comprehension. And I am fearful for the coming days.
“Every time we hear the sirens, people panic and reminisce.
Down the street, the father of the girls, Ziad, is in deep mourning.
Lara’s older sister, Sarah, recounts their final moments.
“In one instant, everything went dark. I couldn’t see anything. I implored Allah, please preserve my life,” she recounts with vivid clarity.
She could hear her father’s cries but only silence followed.
The Khathib family’s home is now nothing but rubble.
Upon our arrival, we found neighbours and friends clearing away the wreckage. They are deeply traumatized.
Ahmed, clearing debris outside the adjacent house, shares that he witnessed body parts scattered across the road and into a garden, and there is blood on the walls.
