Seven months on, Faisal waits to regain his steps after war stole his childhood

Six-year-old Faisal Muhammad Barbakh has been lying in a displacement tent in Khan Younis for over seven months after a severe spinal injury caused by a wall collapsing due to Israeli shelling, which also killed his sister Ilaf. He has been waiting to travel abroad for treatment for over 120 days, while a medical referral was issued on January 22. His father appeals to relevant institutions to expand the number of travelers for treatment.

Six-year-old Faisal Muhammad Barbakh has been lying in a tent of forced displacement in Khan Younis for over seven months, after a severe spinal injury and multiple fractures in his back vertebrae. On December 30, a wall collapsed due to explosions from Israeli shelling, causing his serious injury, while his sister Ilaf, who was sitting next to him, was killed. Faisal is waiting for surgery and specialized treatment that doctors say is unavailable in the Gaza Strip. His medical referral was issued on January 22, but the family has been waiting for a travel date for over 120 days. The father appeals to institutions responsible for evacuating patients, especially children, to expand the numbers of those traveling for treatment, warning that long waiting may deprive many of the chance to be saved. The mother describes her son's suffering, who never leaves his bed, relies on bottles for urination and diapers, and was preparing to enter first grade. The family clings to hope of traveling for treatment outside the Strip, as rehabilitation requirements and medical devices are unavailable in Gaza.