New Delhi/Gaza:
Ibrahim Hammad, a 16-year-old boy with Down syndrome, lived in Al-Zahra City in the midst of Gaza along with his household of seven: dad and mom, 4 older brothers, and himself. His dad and mom, each professors at Al-Aqsa University, devoted their lives to instructing, whereas one in every of his brothers, Hosam Abedalqader Hammad, pursued a bachelor’s diploma in nursing. Life, although removed from idyllic within the besieged Palestinian territory, was not less than structured and predictable.
The Hammads had moved to Al-Zahra from northern Gaza. To accommodate their massive household, they constructed a three-story constructing, spending an enormous portion of their financial savings on a house they may name theirs. Then, October 7 occurred. The Palestinian group Hamas attacked Israel and the offensive that adopted decimated Gaza.
A Family Displaced
The Hammads’ not too long ago constructed home, like a lot else in Gaza, has been decreased to rubble.
“When the battle began, we have been unable to maneuver or go wherever. Every place turned harmful – there is no such thing as a secure area in Gaza, not even in colleges or hospitals,” Hosam Hammad informed NDTV.
Caught within the crossfire, their neighbourhood turned a goal, and the household’s home was obliterated. Forced to evacuate below the fixed risk of airstrikes, they sought refuge in a sequence of non permanent shelters, transferring 5 occasions in whole. These included relations’ properties and ultimately the college the place Ibrahim and Hossam’s dad and mom labored. Yet even these sanctuaries have been fleeting.
“Everyone in my home was at their jobs, the college, or finding out at college. Even Ibrahim was making ready to go to highschool,” Hosam stated. “But Israeli tanks surrounded the college and began bombarding it,” Hosam remembers, describing how they evacuated below direct fireplace.
Life in displacement camps introduced its personal set of challenges. The household, like many others, needed to fend for themselves. Food, water, and electrical energy have been scarce. They resorted to reducing down timber within the college’s backyard to create firewood for cooking.
“We acquired just one provide from UNRWA, however a lot of the meals we had to purchase ourselves. We needed to lower down timber as a result of there was no electrical energy or fuel for cooking. The college had a big backyard, and we lower some timber so we might cook dinner. We did not have many garments or mattresses to sleep on since we moved many occasions. It was laborious to hold many belongings as a result of they did not give us time or warnings to maneuver. The Israeli military would begin bombing the realm, and when you wanted to evacuate, you needed to transfer below fireplace,” Hosam informed NDTV.
Surviving War With Down Syndrome
The problem for the Hammads was not simply surviving. It was surviving with a member of the household with Down syndrome. For Ibrahim, life was troublesome anyway. Caring for Ibrahim, who is very delicate to loud noises, turned a monumental job. The destruction of their metropolis, together with the annihilation of 29 buildings close to their dwelling in a single evening, left him traumatised. His panic assaults grew so extreme that the household needed to administer remedy a number of occasions to calm him.
Ibrahim is extraordinarily delicate to loud noises. The fixed bombing of Gaza has simply made issues worse for him.
“He additionally struggled emotionally when our uncle and his son died, and we misplaced 20 members of the family in whole. Even now, he has nightmares on daily basis,” Hosam stated.
Hosam estimates that the household wanted $100-150 day by day simply to safe primary meals and water. Amid this deprivation, Ibrahim’s well being started to deteriorate quickly. He misplaced 15 kilograms and struggled with frequent panic assaults, exacerbated by the fixed bombings.
According to Dr Rahul Nagpal, a pediatric specialist at Delhi’s Fortis Hospital, kids with Down syndrome typically face developmental delays, cognitive impairments, and heightened susceptibility to well being points. These challenges are magnified in battle zones, the place entry to medical care is restricted.
“Children with Down syndrome might develop at a slower tempo than usually growing kids. They might require additional help and remedy to develop language, social expertise, and motor expertise. This may be difficult for fogeys and caregivers, as it could require important time and sources to offer the required help,” Dr Nagpal informed NDTV.
Before the battle, the Hammads had enrolled Ibrahim in a non-public faculty and employed tutors to enhance his language and speech.
“We handle him as a lot as we are able to as a result of there aren’t any hospitals or docs accessible to verify on him,” Hosam stated.
The camps the place the household sought refuge have been fraught with hazard. Bombings occurred even close to shelters, and the odor of dying within the air was fixed.
“There was bombing throughout us,” Hosam recounted. The household typically heard the determined cries of those that ran out of meals and water fully. Aid was sporadic. An Oxfam report revealed that humanitarian support deliveries have been steadily obstructed or delayed by Israeli authorities, leaving hundreds with out aid.
One chilling account entails a convoy of 11 vehicles in November. Initially held up by Israeli forces, a few of the meals was taken by ravenous civilians earlier than the vehicles have been later diverted to a militarised zone inaccessible to these in want.
A Fragile Respite In Egypt
As Israel continued to pound Gaza, the Hammads took cowl by transferring from one camp to a different. The solely technique to escape Gaza was by the Rafah border within the south. But crossing over has by no means been straightforward, regardless of Rafah being the one crossing in Gaza that’s not below Israeli management. By March this 12 months, the household managed to flee to Egypt with nothing however the garments on their backs.
“Some Egyptian mates helped us discover a non permanent home, however life right here could be very costly,” Hosam informed NDTV. “We evacuated simply earlier than the Israeli military took management and closed the border with Egypt. We are renting a home right here, however life in Egypt could be very costly. We want $500 only for lease, along with our day by day bills, that are excessive since we do not have residency in Egypt.”
While one in every of Ibrahim’s brothers has enrolled in medical faculty, the remainder of the household struggles to rebuild their lives. They stay in authorized limbo, unable to work with out residency permits. Yet, their resolve to return to Gaza as soon as the battle ends stays steadfast. “We misplaced every part – our home, which price over $200,000, and our automobile, value $14,000. But we are going to rebuild,” Hosam declared.
Since the October 7 Hamas assault on Israel, which claimed over 1,200 Israeli lives, Gaza has borne the brunt of a devastating retaliatory offensive. An estimated 45,000 individuals have died, principally civilians. International organizations like Oxfam and Human Rights Watch have accused Israel of systematically depriving Gazans of water and different requirements.