“Even though our bodies are alive, but spiritually within us, it felt like we have already died,” said Aiman Abu Hanieh, a Filipino-Palestinian, speaking in a forum Hospitals Under Siege at UP Manila on November 23.
Aiman further pleaded for assistance, urging the Philippine government, embassies, and rights organizations to help him reunite with his family.
He also shared the harrowing experience of evacuation alongside their struggle for support upon returning to the Philippines.
“Sleep was not part of the equation for every single day that we have experienced this war. We have to split up two shifts: one that would guard through the night and during the day just so in case anything could happen, one could wake up the other one in case we need to evacuate,” Aiman shared.
Meanwhile, upon arriving in the Philippines, Aiman along with his mom expressed disappointment and felt neglected.
“To us it felt like many of the ones, the officials were just come in for the pictures and not actually help us directly. We were left at the airport with no place to go, nowhere to go, and no one to talk to, after the cameras left, the people left with them,” Aiman stressed.
From the more than 18-hour flight and the tension they still had to endure in post-war experience; they had sought assistance from a family friend who worked at the airport which offered them temporary shelter. As of now, they are temporarily staying in Islamic Studies Call and Guidance Philippines (ISCAG) in Cavite.
According to Aiman, he still has his father, stepmother and two step-sisters who are of Palestinian descent and hopes to be reunited with them in the Philippines.
“They do have Palestine passports but we’re all one family living under one roof. So having to be discriminated by that, having to be separated from our family was a really tough decision for us,” said Aiman.
They were even told prior to their departure from Egypt as Aiman would recall him being mocked, “Hey you either get on this flight or you could just stay behind with your family.”
“I do urge the Filipino government, the embassy, and all the organizations to try to help bring my family and reunite us. They are staying in Egypt, they have nowhere to go and they’re running loan money and they would be on the streets soon. We would really appreciate any help that would bring my family and unite us all in the Philippines to start a new life,” Aiman lamented.
