|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The Masri family children are playing together in the sand at al-Mawasi camp in southern Gaza, but their smiles hide the trauma they’ve endured. Their grandmother, Kawther al-Masri, recalls their harrowing experiences as they survived violent bombings in Gaza.
Six weeks ago, an Israeli bombing in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza, killed the parents of one-year-old Jamal and the mother and two young sisters of his cousins Maria, Jana, and Zeina. The girls’ father had been arrested by Israeli forces over a year ago. When these children were pulled from the rubble, they were injured and left alone.
The ongoing conflict in Gaza has resulted in more than 14,500 children killed, with thousands more injured, and an estimated 17,000 left unaccompanied or separated from their families. Some of these children are too young to even know their names.
In the midst of this chaos, the UN’s children’s agency, UNICEF, has managed to reunite only 63 children with their families. The story of the Masri cousins, as documented by the BBC, exemplifies the hardship.
Kawther al-Masri was devastated when she initially learned that her family had been killed in the bombing. After praying, she received the hope-filled news that three of her grandchildren had survived. Determined to reunite with them, she began the long and difficult process of bringing them to safety.
UNICEF coordinated the children’s medical treatment and welfare checks before facilitating their transfer. Due to the division of Gaza by Israeli forces and the constant risk of conflict, this operation was fraught with challenges. However, UNICEF remains committed to reuniting children with their families, despite the many hurdles.
Kawther’s emotional reunion with her grandchildren was marked by both joy and sorrow. While overjoyed to embrace them, she couldn’t help but mourn the loss of their parents. The children’s return, though a source of happiness, is tainted by the devastating reality of their loss.
As the war continues, many families are still separated, and more than 8,300 cases have been reported to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Sadly, only a fraction of these have resulted in reunifications.
Doctors and staff at hospitals have also played a vital role in reconnecting children with their families, often taking great care to keep detailed records for identification purposes.
Despite the reunion, Kawther expresses deep concerns for her grandchildren’s well-being. They remain traumatized by the violence they’ve witnessed and the uncertainty of their future.
As the situation remains dire, Kawther hopes for a ceasefire and the opportunity for her grandchildren to rebuild their lives, escaping the fear that dominates their every day. The hope is for them not to become part of a lost generation shaped by war.
