Stories from the War in Gaza: Injured but unable to get treatment
A.D.’S STORY
Our partners in Gaza are facing the same dangers and hardships as the rest of Gaza’s population. Before the war, A.D. worked as a Graphic Designer for our partner Caritas Jerusalem. This is the story of what has happened to him and his family since 7th October. Sadly, many, many thousands in Gaza will have experienced similar tragedies:
Following the IDF’s warning that Gaza’s citizens to more south, A.D. and his family abandoned their home and travelled to Khan Younis, where he was lucky to have friends who could accommodate them.
But every day was a struggle. For two and a half months, they stayed with fifty-seven other people crammed in a building designed to house about 20 people. Resources were scarce and the sound of war was all around them.
Just before Christmas, an airstrike hit the building. The walls and roof collapsed, burying the residents inside.
A.D., his two younger brothers and his father were all pulled from the rubble with shrapnel wounds and injuries from the falling masonry. His older brother was even more severely injured – his leg was beyond repair and needed amputation.
The family was taken to hospital, but the medical staff had to send those with shrapnel wounds home as they only had the resources to treat the most severely injured. A.D.’s brother remained in hospital for the amputation, but he needs specialist treatment - treatment that the severely under-resourced hospitals in Gaza can no longer supply.
A.D. is hoping his brother will be able to be transferred to a hospital in Turkey or Egypt. But, after almost 2 months, he is still waiting.
Until there is a ceasefire in Gaza, and full humanitarian access, the suffering of A.D.’s brother, and so many like him, will continue.
*Image for illustrative purposes only. Image credit: Ehsan Ahmadnejad, Unsplash.
