Baby Evacuated from Gaza Loses Eye and Most of Family in War

CAIRO (AP) — Mostafa Qadoura’s life changed dramatically when he was just a week old. An Israeli airstrike on his family home in the Gaza Strip hurled him and his crib into the air. The attack left him with severe injuries, including shrapnel that damaged his right eye beyond repair, and tragically claimed the life of one of his brothers.

Weeks later, after his hospital in Gaza faced imminent danger from the Israeli military, Mostafa was evacuated to Egypt. Now, at ten months old, he is a spirited child with chubby cheeks, but he still faces significant challenges in his young life.

Mostafa’s tragedy continued. His mother and another brother were killed in a separate Israeli strike shortly after his evacuation. He requires several surgeries to adjust his artificial eye as he grows, and it remains uncertain whether he will be able to return to Gaza while the war continues.

“I don’t know what to tell him when he grows up,” reflected his grandmother, Amna Abd Rabou, who took on the role of guardian after being allowed to travel to Egypt in April. Last week, she and Mostafa traveled to Malaysia for a surgery scheduled for Monday.

The war has taken a devastating toll on Palestinian children, with thousands killed and many more injured. Mostafa’s case, while heartbreaking, is part of a broader, familiar narrative of despair shared by countless families in Gaza affected by the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Approximately 3,500 Palestinians, primarily children, have been evacuated from Gaza for essential medical care. According to the World Health Organization, families have requested to evacuate at least twice that number of injured children.

Palestinian health officials report over 12,000 children have been injured during the conflict. Many who have not been able to leave Gaza face dire health outcomes. “We meet children whose lives are hanging by a thread,” noted Tess Ingram, a spokesperson for UNICEF. She emphasized the urgent need for medical evacuations, stating, “We need a cease-fire to stop the killing and maiming of children.”

The violence began on October 7 when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths and around 250 hostages taken into Gaza. Since then, over 40,000 Palestinians have lost their lives, with a significant number being children, as reported by Gaza’s Health Ministry.

At Cairo’s Administrative Capital Hospital, Mostafa was seen happily playing with a rattle while sitting on his grandmother’s lap, showing his resilient spirit amidst the chaos. Abd Rabou expressed her commitment to caring for him in memory of her daughter, Mostafa’s mother.

On the day of the attack that killed Mostafa’s 4-year-old brother, Ayes, her mother, Halimah, was severely wounded but managed to seek refuge. Mostafa was found just meters from their destroyed home in Jabaliya, still inside his crib, according to Abd Rabou.

The aftermath of the war has created widespread chaos, displacing nearly 2 million Palestinians. While Mostafa received treatment for his injuries at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, his mother underwent surgery for severe wounds at a different facility in northern Gaza.

“I was determined to care for her, despite her critical condition,” Abd Rabou said, recalling the intense emotions during those gut-wrenching days. Unfortunately, Halimah later moved into a family home that was struck in a November attack, resulting in the loss of her life, along with that of her son Bassam and numerous other family members.

Abd Rabou is uncertain about the fate of Mostafa’s father, but she remembers Halimah’s desperate wish to see her baby before she died. “She was afraid she would never see him again,” Abd Rabou fondly remembered.

The Qadoura family’s story is just one of countless tragedies unfolding in Gaza. The Israeli military often states that it takes precautions to avoid civilian casualties and accuses Hamas of endangering civilians by operating in densely populated areas.

This month, the Israeli military admitted to striking a school in central Gaza City, asserting it was targeting a Hamas command center, though evidence was not provided.

Mostafa’s family lost contact with him following his evacuation. They feared he had died until an uncle stumbled upon a news report about an orphaned baby, which led to the discovery that Mostafa was alive and had been transferred to Rafah before finally reaching Egypt.

According to Bilal Tabasi, a nurse accompanying Mostafa and other evacuees, many weak and ill infants were wrapped in blankets to keep them warm during the journey. Tragically, three of them did not survive the trip to the Egyptian border.

Upon arrival, Mostafa was malnourished and dehydrated and had fought off antibiotic-resistant bacteria from his wounds. Ramzy Mounir, the director of the hospital in Cairo, described him as the most critical case he had encountered.

Following his surgery in Malaysia, it remains uncertain where Mostafa and his grandmother will go next. Abd Rabou aspires to return to Egypt and remain there until the war ends, promising to stay by Mostafa’s side, recalling the emotional weight of her daughter’s last words. “She told me, ‘If anything happened to him, I’ll never forgive you,’” Abd Rabou shared, reinforcing her commitment to care for her grandson.