Israel's border closure leaves Gaza children like Osama fighting to survive amid growing crisis

Record ID: 1969633

  • Title: Israel's border closure leaves Gaza children like Osama fighting to survive amid growing crisis
  • Date: 16th April 2025
  • Summary: Israel's border closure leaves Gaza children like Osama fighting to survive amid growing crisis SHOTLIST: KHAN YOUNIS, PALESTINE (APR. 15, 2025) (ANADOLU - ACCESS ALL) 1. MALNOURISHED PALESTINIAN CHILD OSAMA KAMAL EL RAKAB'S MOTHER TAKING OFF HIS SHIRT 2. VARIOUS OF OSAMA'S BODY 3. OSAMA BEING TREATED WITH INHALER 4. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MALNOURISHED PALESTINIAN CHILD OSAMA KAMAL EL RAKAB'S MOTHER SAYING: "My son’s health is in serious danger, they had applied for medical transfer four or five times during the war, but none were approved. He used to weigh 14 kilograms, but now his weight has dropped to just 9.5. He can’t access the specialized nutrition he needs due to the ongoing shortages. To stay healthy, he needs a regular intake of meat, protein, fat, and eggs. But we have no access to these foods because of the border closures.” 5. OSAMA'S MOTHER HOLDING HIS ARMS 6. MOTHER SHOWING OSAMA'S PHOTO TO CAMERA 7. OSAMA SHOWING HIS PHOTO TO CAMERA 8. MOTHER SHOWING MEDICINES TO CAMERA ( TWO SHOTS) 9. OSAMA LYING ON GROUND HOLDING INHALER SCRIPT Israel’s continued closure of Gaza’s border crossings since March 2 has plunged the besieged enclave into a deepening humanitarian crisis, with food and medicine shortages pushing the situation to critical levels. The consequences are especially dire for children, as malnutrition and lack of medical access lead to a rising death toll. Among those most affected is Osama Kamal El Rakab, a child living in the Bani Suheila neighborhood of Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Struggling with severe health issues, Osama has become a symbol of the suffering endured by many under the blockade. He now lives in a makeshift tent, far from the care he urgently needs. Doctors have stressed that Osama must be transferred abroad for treatment. However, his mother told Anadolu that repeated efforts—up to five applications for medical transfer—have been rejected due to the continued closure of crossings by Israel. “My son used to weigh 14 kilograms, now he’s only 9.5,” she said, her voice breaking. His mother said that Osama needed protein, fat, and eggs regularly, but we couldn’t find these foods. The worsening restriction on access to basic nutrition and healthcare poses an existential threat to thousands of vulnerable civilians in Gaza. Aid agencies and rights groups are calling on the international community to act swiftly before more lives are lost. The Israeli army renewed a deadly assault on Gaza on March 18, shattering a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that took hold in January. At least 51,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have been killed in Gaza in a brutal Israeli onslaught since October 2023. The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. ​​​​​​​Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
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  • Copyright Holder: Anadolu Agency
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