This initiative comes as part of the ongoing response of the ‘Gassan Abu-Sitteh Fund’ for children to the effects of the war on Gaza. A week after their arrival, the children and their families share their painful stories of survival and ongoing suffering, appealing to the world to pay attention to the plight of the wounded and children, hoping to reunite with the remaining family members still in the sector.
Amir recounts how his grandfather and two of his uncles were killed in the bombing that targeted them. After a perilous journey, Amir reached the Baptist hospital, where medical resources were extremely scarce. After many attempts, Amir managed to leave Gaza for Egypt, and then to receive the necessary treatment. Amir made an appeal to the entire world, saying: “I urge the whole world to save the wounded of Gaza and the children of Gaza…”, pointing out the severe difficulties faced by the wounded in leaving the sector for treatment, as the Israeli authorities control medical transfers.
Khamis said: “We were moving from one area to another by an UNRWA bus when we were bombed and then shot at by a drone while we were wounded and with children.” Khamis suffers from fractures in his legs and fourth-degree burns on his face and hands. His father, who remained in Gaza, also sustained severe burns across his body. After initial treatment in Egypt, Khamis managed to reach Lebanon through the ‘Gassan Abu-Sitteh Fund’, where he underwent surgery.
Noor Akila, Khamis’s mother, suffers no less than her son. She has not seen her other son, seven years old, and her husband, who has fourth-degree burns, in six months. Noor describes the state of terror that children in Gaza live in, saying: “My son is very afraid of the bombing, of the sound of the aircraft.” She pleads, “I hope the suffering we are going through stops, and that the war stops.” Noor stresses that the situation in Gaza is tragic, with no safety, no food, no drink, and no life. She wonders, “How can anyone bear to live in Gaza?” The residents of the Gaza Strip suffer from unprecedented levels of hunger, with UN organizations warning of the spread of famine and the rising number of deaths caused by malnutrition, especially among children, the sick, and the disabled.
From October 7, 2023, to August 26 of this year, the war on Gaza has resulted in the death of about 63,000 Palestinians and around 158,000 injuries, according to data from the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza.
