A three-year-old Palestinian boy named Amr al-Hams is fighting for his life in Gaza after sustaining brain damage from shrapnel caused by an Israeli airstrike on his family's tent. His pregnant mother was killed in the attack, and his father is overwhelmed by grief. Amr is unable to speak or move and is losing weight, but the besieged Gaza health system lacks the necessary supplies and capacity to provide adequate treatment. Approximately 2,500 children in Gaza require lifesaving medical care and rehabilitation, but only about 200 have been evacuated since March. The ongoing Israeli blockade and border controls prevent many patients, including Amr, from leaving Gaza for proper medical treatment. In addition, paramedics in Gaza have been seen manually resuscitating babies and children injured in Israeli strikes, highlighting the severe strain on medical services. The death toll in Gaza has surpassed 58,000, with UNICEF spokesperson Rosalia Bollen describing the territory as a graveyard for children and emphasizing the widespread lack of safe places. Children who lose their parents face extreme hardship and increased risks of exploitation and abuse, with extended families and communities providing care amid the crisis.
Children who lose their parents in #Gaza are cared for by extended family and the community, but still face extreme hardship and increased risk of exploitation and abuse, says Rosalia Bollen, Spokesperson for UNICEF. #GNT https://t.co/4Ouuk7BrfS
How common are cases like Taysir Mansour's, a severely injured child with no access to care? Rosalia Bollen, Spokesperson for UNICEF, responds. #Gaza https://t.co/8azagYkmQb
With the death toll surpassing 58,000, is there any safe place left in Gaza? Rosalia Bollen, Spokesperson for UNICEF, responds. #Gaza https://t.co/120v8jJmWM