The BBC joined a group of Gazan children and their families as they were evacuated to Jordan for medical treatment. The children, accompanied by their parents or guardians, traveled from Gaza to the Jordanian border by road before boarding a helicopter to Amman.
A Glimmer of Hope
Safa’a Salha, a mother of one of the children, was overcome with emotion as she gazed out at the Jordanian landscape. “Oh my God, Jordan is so beautiful,” she wrote in a message on her phone. Her 16-year-old son Youssef, who had undergone surgery, smiled and gave a fist bump, excited to be on the helicopter. “I liked the helicopter, I like football,” he said. Nine-year-old Sama Awad, who has a brain tumor, held her mother’s hand, looking frail and scared.
The Reality of Gaza
Isra, Sama’s mother, described Gaza as “horrible” and “impossible to describe.” “People are just trying to get on with living,” she said. The family had traveled through Israel without stopping until they reached the border crossing. According to Jordanian sources, Israel has delayed and imposed restrictions on the evacuation process, allowing only 33 children to be evacuated so far.
A Long Way to Go
Jordan’s aim is to bring 2,000 sick children to the kingdom for treatment. However, the process has been slow, with Israel citing ongoing hostilities in the Gaza Strip as a challenge. The Israeli government organization responsible, Cogat, stated that there has been a significant increase in the number of Gazans evacuated through Israel for medical care abroad.
Humanitarian Crisis
The situation in Gaza remains dire, with the population of 2.1 million facing a risk of famine. Tom Fletcher, the UN’s head of humanitarian affairs, has appealed to the UN Security Council to act to “prevent genocide” in Gaza. The children evacuated to Jordan will receive medical treatment, but their families’ futures remain uncertain.
A New Lease on Life
Habiba Al-Askari, a young girl who underwent a triple amputation due to a rare skin condition, is determined to walk again. Her mother, Rana, hopes to take her back to Gaza one day. “Gaza is beautiful, despite everything that has happened,” Rana said. “To me, Gaza will always be the most precious spot on this entire earth.” The family, like many others, will have to wait and see what the future holds.