In the midst of ongoing conflict in Gaza, the heartbreaking story of twelve-year-old Raghad al-Assar serves as a poignant reminder of the human cost of war. After surviving a bombing that claimed the lives of two of her sisters, Raghad’s struggle highlights the traumatic impact of violence on children and the urgent need for comprehensive medical care and psychological support in conflict zones. Her experiences underscore the resilience of young individuals amidst despair and the importance of international solidarity in advocating for their well-being and rights.
Twelve-year-old Raghad al-Assar lay unconscious in a Gaza mortuary for eight hours after she was declared dead following an Israeli attack on her home in central Gaza last year. “We were sitting in our home like everyone else when suddenly bullets, planes, and drones came down on us,” she recounted. Remarkably, Raghad was saved by chance when a Palestinian man searching for his son’s body noticed her fingers moving as she lay on a cold slab.
Doctors informed Raghad’s family that she had been in a coma for two weeks. Upon awakening, she learned that two of her sisters had been killed in the attack on June 8, 2024, while other family members sustained injuries. “All my family was injured, and two of my sisters were martyred. My eldest sister’s condition is worse than mine. She can’t see in one eye, has burns, deep wounds, and stomach problems,” Raghad revealed.
Her story is just one of many arising from the recent war in Gaza, which UN experts have characterized as genocide. According to the UN Children’s Fund, around 64,000 children have been “reportedly killed or maimed” in Israeli attacks on the coastal Palestinian territory. Since the conflict’s onset in October 2023, the war has claimed the lives of at least 69,187 Palestinians and injured 170,703.
Raghad’s father, Mohammed, was at work during the attack and rushed to the hospital after receiving distressing news about his home. “We went to the house to look for Raghad under the rubble. We did not find any sign of her,” he explained. After reuniting with his daughter, Mohammed saw that the incident had profoundly affected her. “The incident that occurred to her changed her mental health and personality into another person,” he remarked.
Raghad now experiences anxiety and frequent nightmares triggered by the memories of that day. “I don’t like to remember, don’t want to hear war sounds, and avoid things that bring back memories. If I hear bombing or planes, I get frightened,” she said. Her family hopes to secure overseas medical treatment for both Raghad and her injured sister. “I want to go abroad for treatment. That is my dream. It is a child’s right to live just like other people abroad—for them to have play and well-being,” she expressed.
The ongoing bombardment over the past two years has devastated Gaza’s health facilities and resulted in the deaths of hundreds of medical professionals, ultimately leading to a collapse of the medical infrastructure. Although a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel was agreed upon last month, continued attacks have resulted in the deaths of at least 260 people since October 10. This evolving situation calls for urgent action to address the humanitarian needs of the Palestinian populace and to advance peacebuilding efforts.
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