On 27th of December, 2008, the two-and-a-half-year old Yousef has complied to the Israeli orders to stay at home. He did not play with his bike in the street after it had been the dearest thing to his heart.

On 6th of January, Yousef lost his precious life when an Israeli air jet launched an F16 missile, targeting his home. Yousef and his family that was consisting of his parents, three siblings, grandpa, grandma, paternal aunts and uncles with their wives and children. Yousef’s little body was buried under a heap of rubble which was one day his beloved home. 

Yousef’s father still remembers his dear boy who insisted to get down to the street to play with his bike at six am. His father said:”It was so early but he insisted on going out to play with his bike. I gave up and agreed. He rushed to call upon his cousin Sharaf but I did not let him wake up his uncle at that time. So, he insisted on going out to play with his bike alone as he usually did. He really loved playing with his bike. He would give his sister, Amany, a hard time in carrying his bike up and down the stairs, but who could say no to our family’s blue-eyed boy.

Young Yousef loved listening to the pulse of the fetus that was inside his mother’s womb. His mother was so happy with her coming baby and intended to call him Firas. Yousef shared his mother’s love and anticipation for the new baby or for “Bobo" as he called him. His mother used to encourage him to love his younger brother dearly and not to feel jealous of him.

Yousef’s father anxiously waited for his young child to grow up so that he would be able to walk by his side on the street full of pride of his beloved son. He said:” His hair was so pretty and I did not want to have his hair cut. Everybody loved the way it looked. His mother wished that her little angel to grow up fast and go to school so as to be as good as his sisters and cousins in memorizing the Holy Qur'an. She also hoped that one day Yousef would be a teacher. But now he has gone. The Israelis have taken our baby away as along with our dreams and hopes.” Yousef’s uncle, Rida, said:” Yousef was the apple of his grandfather’s eye; he accompanied him everywhere. His grandfather used to buy him chips and candy and would take him everywhere he goes… He also won the heart of his grandmother as well. He was extremely a beautiful and a bright kid.”