Photos: Gaza toddler fights for life after Israeli strike kills family

 

Three-year-old Amr al-Hams lies silent and motionless in a hospital bed in Khan Younis, Gaza, with shrapnel lodged in his brain following an Israeli air strike. Once a vibrant toddler, Amr can now neither walk nor speak. His eyes wander, seemingly searching for his mother. According to his aunt, Nour, he may still be unaware that she is gone.

The tragedy unfolded when Amr's pregnant mother, Inas, took her children to visit her parents in northern Gaza. That night, their tent was hit by an Israeli strike. The explosion killed Inas, her unborn baby, two of Amr’s siblings, and his grandfather. Amr alone survived, rushed to intensive care with critical injuries and requiring a breathing tube.

His father, shattered by the loss, can barely speak. The emotional toll on the family is unimaginable. Amr was later transferred to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. Though he is no longer in intensive care, his condition remains dire, worsened by severe malnutrition. Gaza’s ongoing blockade has prevented access to fortified milk, essential for his recovery.

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Now, Amr's survival depends entirely on the care of his devoted aunt, Nour. She feeds him mashed lentils through a syringe, sleeps beside him, changes his nappies, and soothes him during seizures. The blockade has deprived him of the medical nutrition he desperately needs, and doctors warn that his condition will deteriorate without immediate specialised care.

Despite her pain, Nour clings to hope. “I tell him his mother will be back soon,” she says. “He cries. I think he misses her.” For doctors and aid workers, Amr’s situation is urgent. Without evacuation from Gaza and access to proper neurological treatment and therapy, he may suffer irreversible brain damage.

His case highlights the broader humanitarian crisis affecting Gaza’s most vulnerable children. The blockade, coupled with repeated strikes, has left hospitals overwhelmed and families devastated. Amr’s story is a heartbreaking example of what thousands are enduring under siege. As Nour pleads for help, her voice echoes the desperation of countless others trapped by war, praying that the world will hear.