Isdud - اسدود: Nakba, Exodus Day from Isdood: October 28, 1948 By Ahmad Hassan Joudah

Published on October 28, 2014 on Facebook:

The 28th of October, is the 66th anniversary of the eviction of the people of my village Isdood in 1948 .The people were relaxed and secured after the arrival of the Egyptian forces on May 29 ,1948,despite continuous Israeli assault against the village and the forces . But on Oct.15, the Israeli army launched a general attack against the Egyptian front which forced the E. Forces to redeploy and shorten their defense lines .

Accordingly they withdrew from Isdood and Al Majdal . As soon as the inhabitants of Isdood learned that , the news spread like wild fire and the people panicked , particularly after four nights of ceaseless Israeli aerial bombardment. They left their homes in fear and panic heading south to Al-Majdal . It was close to sunset, some families could not make it before darkness , so they spent the night east of the village Hamameh , among those was my family.

After midnight my mother awakened me and urged me to go back to Isdood to bring my school documents including my birth certificate if I were to complete my education , so I had no choice . At my arrival to our home, my father who refused to leave home , was very upset and asked me to gather the needed papers and leave soon.

But I found neither my family nor any one of my village in the places where I left them . It took me about three days until I reached Gaza to fin d them staying at one of my father’s friends in Gaza who fought together during the WW1.

About 400 persons remained in the village , but the Israeli authorities arrested the young people( 50 ) and kicked out the rest who were mainly elderly women and men . They loaded them in trucks and dumped them at the Gaza Strip borders ; among them was my father who joined us at his friend’s house . Most of the prisoners were released during the summer of 1949 .

In November 48 , I attended the only Secondary school in Gaza and in March 49 , I worked as a teacher in one of the refugee schools in the afternoon while going to my school in the morning .