Layan al-Baz, a 13-year-old Palestinian girl, is in excruciating pain after having her legs amputated as a result of an Israeli strike on Gaza during the ongoing conflict with Hamas. Layan, who is currently being treated at Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip, expressed her desire to have her legs restored instead of receiving artificial limbs, which are scarce in the impoverished Palestinian territory.
Gaza has been under a crippling Israeli-led blockade for years, and the recent war has exacerbated the shortages of food, water, fuel, and medical supplies. Layan’s mother, Lamia al-Baz, explained that her daughter was injured in a strike on the Al-Qarara district of Khan Yunis. Lamia herself experienced a devastating loss as two of her daughters, Ikhlas and Khitam, and two grandchildren, including a newborn baby, were killed in the same strike.
With her face and arms dotted with injuries, Layan questions how she will be able to return to school when her friends can walk and she cannot. Her mother tries to reassure her, emphasizing that she will be by her side and that she still has a future ahead of her.
In the burns unit of the hospital, 14-year-old Lama al-Agha and her sister Sara, 15, are also being treated for injuries sustained in a strike that killed Sara’s twin brother and another sibling. Despite the pain and loss, Lama remains determined to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor and plans to get an artificial leg to continue her studies.
Nahed Abu Taaema, the hospital director, explained that due to the overwhelming number of casualties and limited resources, amputations are sometimes necessary to save lives and prevent further complications.
Another victim, Ahmad Abu Shahmah, 14, lost his leg in a strike that destroyed his family’s home, killing six of his cousins and an aunt. Devastated by the news, Ahmad mourned the loss of his ability to walk and play football, a sport he had recently joined an academy for.
As the ongoing conflict continues to take its toll on the people of Gaza, stories like Layan’s, Lama’s, and Ahmad’s serve as a reminder of the devastating consequences faced by innocent civilians caught in the crossfire.
(Note: This article is published from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by NDTV staff.)
