An Israeli bullet shattered his vertebrae.. Ashraf awaits a path to survival

The young man Ashraf Abu Ghazal, who was hit by an Israeli bullet that shattered his vertebrae and caused partial paralysis, has been waiting to travel abroad for treatment for over a year, amid difficult living conditions in a displacement tent in northern Gaza and a lack of necessary medical care.

The young man Ashraf Abu Ghazal, about 20 years old, has been enduring severe human suffering since he was hit by an Israeli bullet on August 28, 2025, while standing on the outskirts of a displacement camp in the northern Gaza Strip, near the Zikim checkpoint. The bullet penetrated his back and shattered the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth vertebrae of his spine, causing a spinal cord injury that resulted in partial paralysis. Since then, he has been bedridden, unable to move, and living in a displacement tent unsuitable for his health condition, which has caused him skin ulcers and the risk of infections. Abu Ghazal says doctors told him his condition requires advanced medical capabilities unavailable in Gaza, and that any local surgical intervention poses a significant risk. He has had a medical referral for treatment abroad since November 15, 2025, but has been unable to travel due to the war and siege. He suffers from despair and loss of hope, describes himself as a "burden" on his family, and prefers death over continuing in this situation. He appeals to the World Health Organization for immediate intervention to evacuate him for treatment before it is too late. The article lacks any analysis of the political or military context of the injury, focusing only on individual suffering.