The sun shone brightly over the Italian summer camp as children gathered around a little girl, Shaymaa Shady, aged 6, filled with curiosity and innocent questions about her missing leg. “Ha fatto la guerra,” one child remarked, signaling the gravity of her experience. Shaymaa is one of the 16 children who were evacuated from Gaza earlier this year, all urgently needing medical attention due to injuries sustained during the ongoing conflict.
Among the diverse group, Sarah Yusuf, who suffered a broken pelvis in an Israeli attack, has begun to run and play without the limp that once hindered her. Meanwhile, Ahmad al-Saafen, just 4 years old, is engaged in the challenging process of learning how to walk again with a prosthetic leg, a replacement for one lost under debris in the bombardments. Baian Azoum was rescued from Gaza’s rubble in a life-threatening state, now facing nearly two years of intensive treatment in an unfamiliar land.
The children, all under the age of 15 except for one, were airlifted from Gaza after extensive negotiations involving aid organizations and governments, including those of Israel, Egypt, and Italy. Each child was accompanied by a caretaker, usually a family member. Some of them had to endure amputations to survive, and while they carry the physical scars, the emotional and psychological impacts remain profound.
Transitioning to life in Italy offers a mixed bag of relief and sorrow. "Italy is beautiful, but I need support," says Lina Gamal, Shaymaa's aunt and caretaker, expressing feelings of isolation as she left family members behind who are still in conflict. Their future remains uncertain, clouded by questions about whether they will ever return home, as the war escalates and more than 40,000 Palestinians have reportedly died since the conflict reignited on October 7, 2023.
The transition is arduous, especially as the children navigate new social landscapes, like summer camps where they encounter peers who often do not understand their language or history. The barriers to connection seem high, yet the resilience of these young survivors sparks hope as they embark on their journey to healing amidst the backdrop of loss and trauma.
