Public Comment

The devastating consequences of Israel's relentless bombing campaign, aided by U.S. complicity, are painfully evident in the lives of the children who have borne the brunt of this violence. One such child, Shaymaa Shady, lost her leg in an explosion in Gaza. Along with 15 other children who were evacuated to Italy for medical treatment, Shaymaa faces a long and uncertain road to recovery, compounded by the trauma of losing family members and living in a foreign land.h These children, all under the age of 15, are the survivors of an ongoing tragedy. Some lost limbs to save their lives, while others face permanent disabilities from the bombings. Their young minds carry scars beyond the physical—witnessing horrors that most could never imagine. Many of them, like Ahmad al-Saafen, struggle with prosthetics, and others, such as Baian Azoum, must endure years of treatment after being pulled from the rubble in Gaza. 

These young survivors have been given a second chance at life, but their futures remain uncertain. With families left behind and no guarantees of a safe return to Gaza, they now grapple with the challenges of adjusting to new cultures and languages in Italy, while their peers remain unaware of their suffering. 

As more than 40,000 Palestinians have died, and tens of thousands are disabled, we must reflect on the horror inflicted by this unprovoked violence. The children of Gaza, like Shaymaa, deserve peace and the opportunity to heal. The global community must demand an end to this brutality and offer these children a future where they are no longer defined by war.