Children face unbearable suffering under settler colonial Israel

Ramez Al-Naouq, a child living in Gaza, was born with a severe congenital deformity in his upper and lower eyelids, which prevent him from closing his eyes even while he is sleeping.

His eyes constantly bleed, become ulcerated and inflamed, and put him at risk of permanent blindness.

Before the Israeli occupation’s genocide on the Gaza Strip, Al-Naouq received ointments and eye drops to keep his eyes moisturised and reduce the inflammation. But his treatment has now completely stopped because of the ongoing blockade and severe shortage of medicines. As a result his condition has dramatically worsened.

Although Ramez urgently needs complex operations to repair his eyelids and protect his vision, doctors in Gaza are not able to carry out the necessary surgeries, because of a lack of medical resources.

Rateb

Rateb is a child amputee in Gaza. He has been trying hard to make a plastic limb for himself, so he can play with other children. He lost his leg after the Israeli occupation forces bombed a car a few months ago.

There are hundreds of children like Rateb in Gaza, who have lost upper or lower limbs, and are left permanently disabled because of injuries sustained during this genocide. These become infected and, because poor nutrition slows healing and antibiotics are intentionally being prevented from entering the Strip, sepsis sets in, leaving no other option but amputation.

Child amputees have a lifetime of disability and a very uncertain future ahead of them. Gaza has the highest number of child amputees per capita anywhere in the world, with 10 children, every single day for the past two years losing one or both of their legs.

Hanna

Hanaa Al-Awdi, was a Palestinian child who developed brain cancer during the ongoing genocide in Gaza, and also suffered from brain atrophy which had already taken away her sight and hearing. The Israeli occupation’s complete blockade of the besieged Gaza Strip meant there was a delay in her travel for treatment abroad, so her condition became significantly worse. This left her body unable to withstand the disease,  and although she was eventually able to travel to Italy for treatment, she recently passed away in an Italian hospital with stage four brain cancer, which had spread throughout her body.

These children mentioned here are not unique in Gaza. There are thousands who are suffering and left to die, slowly and painfully, without anyone hearing about them. The Israeli regime has intentionally bombed hospitals to bring about the collapse of Gaza’s health care system, while the ongoing intentional blockade prevents the entry of everything necessary for the survival of the Palestinian population, including medicine and fuel. Dozens of children have also experienced severe deterioration in their health, or have already lost their lives, because of delays in medical evacuation by the Israeli occupation authorities.

Featured image via YouTube screenshot/ABC News In Depth