Gaza's sick children talk not of illness, but hunger as they arrive in Jordan
On Jordan's border, we heard the ambulances long before we saw them. Their shrill cry signals the arrival of children from a place of war to a place of safety.
On board the buses and ambulances, 47 beautiful children are struggling with dreadful illness or injury. And yet it was neither their injuries nor their illnesses they spoke of. Their eyes and often their bodies told of the mental and physical toll of war, but they didn't. They talked about being hungry.
About how long it had been since they had eaten. About how much hunger, real hunger, hurts the stomach. But that hurt was nothing compared to the sadness of leaving their families behind, without food.
It was interesting to watch their reactions as food and juice were handed out. Of course, they had been given some on their journey, but no one grabbed it, no one devoured it. They seemed quite in awe of it.
And then there were the tears, the tears of guilt that overwhelmed even their need for food.
Children get sick in war as they do in peace.
The tragedies of health are no different, but the chances of recovery are.
Try surviving childhood cancer living in ruins, in a place where there are no fully functioning hospitals, where there's limited food, limited medication and no safety.
Try getting well without nutrients or a bed to lie in.
In Gaza, now exhausted, frightened and hungry patients are cared for by exhausted, frightened and hungry doctors.
That they have more medical knowledge than their patients goes no way to ensuring they have any more chance of staying alive.
Some 14,000 medical or surgical patients are still waiting to leave Gaza; they wait, unsure if a terrible injury, a terrible illness or hunger will take their lives first.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald Scotland
4 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Viral photo of 'starving' child in Gaza is misleading
This has led President Donald Trump to say he wanted to boost U.S. humanitarian efforts in war-torn Gaza. Hamas terrorists in Gaza started the war on Oct. 7, 2023, when they attacked Israel, slaughtering and kidnapping hundreds of Israeli citizens. Palestinian civilians are now paying the price for those atrocities. Opinion: Trump is racking up GOP wins no one else could. What do Never Trumpers say now? "We can save a lot of people," Trump said July 28, while meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Scotland. "I mean, some of those kids are - that's real starvation stuff. I see it, and you can't fake it." But what if you can? New York Times does damage control after misleading image The photograph of one mother and child in particular has created a firestorm. The New York Times published a lengthy report online about alleged starvation in Gaza on July 24, featuring 18-month-old Mohammed Zakaria al-Mutawaq. Photos show a child in distress, with his bones painfully visible. His mother tries to comfort him. The Times then ran the story on its print front page July 25, with the photo of the child and his mother as the leading image. The caption says the child was "born healthy" but is suffering from "severe malnutrition." Yet, it turned out there was more to the story. Five days after the story was published, on July 29, The Times issued an editor's note (buried at the bottom of the article) as well as a brief statement on its communications social media page that offered readers much-needed context. The note "clarifies" that the child suffers from serious "pre-existing health problems." "We have since learned new information, including from the hospital that treated him and his medical records, and have updated our story to add context about his pre-existing health problems," a Times spokesperson said in the statement. "This additional detail gives readers a greater understanding of his situation." That's putting it mildly. Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store. The Times certainly wasn't alone in running images of Mohammed. Others, including CNN, did as well. After all, a picture paints a thousand words. And these photos went viral, making Mohammed the face of starving children across Gaza. It also buoyed the narrative pushed by the media and progressives that Israel is at fault for blocking aid from flowing to the Palestinians in need. Opinion: Sydney Sweeney's jeans ad triggers liberals. She looks good. They don't. Too many journalists have abandoned truth for advocacy But thanks to the reporting of independent journalists and pushback from Israel officials, the truth has come out. The state of Israel posted on social media another photograph of the mother and child, which features the child's older brother, who appears healthy. The contrast makes it clear that there's much more contributing to Mohammed's condition than lack of food. "BBC, CNN, Daily Express, and The New York Times spread a misleading story using a picture of a sick, disabled child to promote a narrative of mass starvation in Gaza - playing into the hands of Hamas's propaganda war," the post states. Share your opinion: Are you concerned about starvation in Gaza? Should US do more to help? Tell us. | Opinion Forum Americans deserve the full story. For instance, David Makovsky, director of the program on Arab-Israel Relations at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, recently pointed out on X that a United Nations report shows that "87% of its 2,010 food trucks in Gaza (85% by tonnage) from May 19-July 29 were 'intercepted' - either peacefully by crowds or forcefully by armed actors." In other words, Hamas is intercepting food meant for civilians. That's worth reporting. Trump is right to feel empathy for the innocent civilians in Gaza, especially the children. But it's Hamas who deserves the blame for their plight - not Israel. As Trump noted in a July 31 Truth Social post, "The fastest way to end the Humanitarian Crises in Gaza is for Hamas to SURRENDER AND RELEASE THE HOSTAGES!!!" The truth is that Hamas is using the suffering of those who live under its grip to try to achieve its aims. That's the real tragedy. Ingrid Jacques is a columnist at USA TODAY. Contact her at ijacques@ or on X: @Ingrid_Jacques
ITV News
2 days ago
- ITV News
'They thought I was dead': Boy who lost his jaw in Gaza explosion brought to UK for surgery
Majid al-Shagnobi requires major facial reconstruction following the explosion, as ITV News Correspondent Geraint Vincent reports A 15-year-old Palestinian boy who lost his jaw and all of his teeth in an explosion in Gaza is now being treated in the UK. Majid al-Shagnobi suffered severe facial injuries in February 2024 when Israeli tank shells exploded near him and a group of friends. He was trying to get humanitarian aid. Before Gaza's latest, most brutal war, Majd was simply the eldest of four brothers. Now, he's one of countless children caught in the crossfire of Israel and Hamas' conflict. The doctors in Gaza managed to save his life - but only after they had decided there was nothing they could do. Speaking through a translator, Majd told ITV News that when he first arrived at the hospital, his injuries were so severe that they thought he was dead. 'I remember them putting me in the mortuary," Majd said. "I managed to move my arm, though, and they realised I was still alive.' Even after that, his mother, Islem Felfel, recalls that doctors thought his case was hopeless. They told her Majd might only have days to live. One hospital refused to admit him. But now, Majd has a chance to fully restore his face, thanks to Project Pure Heart, a charity run by a group of healthcare professionals dedicated to bringing critically ill children from Middle East conflict zones to the UK for treatment. They are using charitable donations to pay privately for the reconstructive surgery Majd needs, and to house him, his mum Islem, one of his brothers and his little sister while they're here. Islem speaks of the pride she has in the courage her son has shown. But the trauma for her family goes on. Two of her sons, Mohammad and Yusuf, remain in Gaza with their dad. It's difficult for her to communicate with them; she doesn't know if they have had anything to eat today. "My heart is split between here and there," she said. Majd was flown into London on Wednesday night, but many other children in Gaza with critical conditions won't be so lucky. Omar Din, a co-founder of Project Pure Hope, highlighted that the UK lags behind European countries like Italy in taking children directly from Gaza. Majd's family had to come through Egypt. Mr Din emphasised that the project is apolitical but said that the government could do more "if they have the will and they have the momentum". Majd's family have a yearlong visa, which is meant to cover the time it will take for him to undergo and recover from surgery. Then the charity plans to resettle them in Egypt or Jordan. When ITV News asked Majd about what he hopes for now, he said simply to learn and to work. He regards himself as the man of the house now. While their time in London offers a chance to play and live in peace, he is determined to provide for his family's new future.
ITV News
2 days ago
- ITV News
Gaza's sick children talk not of illness, but hunger as they arrive in Jordan
Jordan has been treating some of the many sick Palestinian children who need medical help, as ITV News International Editor Emma Murphy reports On Jordan's border, we heard the ambulances long before we saw them. Their shrill cry signals the arrival of children from a place of war to a place of safety. On board the buses and ambulances, 47 beautiful children are struggling with dreadful illness or injury. And yet it was neither their injuries nor their illnesses they spoke of. Their eyes and often their bodies told of the mental and physical toll of war, but they didn't. They talked about being hungry. About how long it had been since they had eaten. About how much hunger, real hunger, hurts the stomach. But that hurt was nothing compared to the sadness of leaving their families behind, without food. It was interesting to watch their reactions as food and juice were handed out. Of course, they had been given some on their journey, but no one grabbed it, no one devoured it. They seemed quite in awe of it. And then there were the tears, the tears of guilt that overwhelmed even their need for food. Children get sick in war as they do in peace. The tragedies of health are no different, but the chances of recovery are. Try surviving childhood cancer living in ruins, in a place where there are no fully functioning hospitals, where there's limited food, limited medication and no safety. Try getting well without nutrients or a bed to lie in. In Gaza, now exhausted, frightened and hungry patients are cared for by exhausted, frightened and hungry doctors. That they have more medical knowledge than their patients goes no way to ensuring they have any more chance of staying alive. Some 14,000 medical or surgical patients are still waiting to leave Gaza; they wait, unsure if a terrible injury, a terrible illness or hunger will take their lives first.
