Latest news with #AdamAlNajjar
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Health
- The Guardian
‘Heartbreaking': a London surgeon on the trials of operating in a Gaza hospital
Every day between 4am and 6am, Graeme Groom, an orthopaedic surgeon from London, would be woken by a dawn chorus of bombs and missiles. And so began another 24 hours at the Nasser hospital in Gaza, the largest functioning hospital in the territory. Shortly after 8am, the first patients would be wheeled into the operating theatres. Groom and his orthopaedic and plastic surgery colleagues saw on average 20 patients a day: one-third children, one-third women, then men of all ages, their limbs mangled by bombs and guns. Groom, a co-founder of the charity Ideals that provides health services in places affected by conflict, has been to Gaza about 40 times, including four visits since Hamas militants attacked Israel on 7 October 2023. One evening on his most recent trip, just as the 12-hour-plus shift was ending, another emergency was wheeled in. It was an 11-year boy who had lost his nine siblings in an Israeli strike on their family home in Khan Younis. His father, a doctor, was in a critical condition, and later died of his injuries. That night Groom and his team managed to save the boy's arm, rather than amputate it. The boy's name was Adam al-Najjar. As Adam got better, the NHS doctor found that Adam spoke good English and had 'the most angelic smile', which could be prompted by a bar of chocolate from the surgeon's pocket. A few weeks later Adam and his mother were evacuated to Italy. Physically, he was much better by the time he left, Groom said, although it was too early to assess the long-term impact of the explosion on his brain, or the mental scars. 'We could not begin to get a mental health assessment of the effects of losing almost all his family in one bomb.' For every Palestinian child whose trauma captures headlines, there are thousands more whose stories go untold. The UN agency for children reported on 16 July that more than 17,000 children have been killed and 33,000 injured in the 21-month conflict. The NHS doctor recalls seven-year-old Yakub, who, with his older brother, was the only survivor of a bomb attack. Yakub's legs had been broken above and below the knees, the skin and much soft tissue flayed by bombs. 'While I was writing up the operation note … it was just heartbreaking to hear him calling for the mother who was dead.' He recalls two other patients: a mother who was cradling her three-year-old daughter when the bombs exploded. The child lost both legs, the mother's elbows were damaged, depriving her of the use of her arms. She is now regaining the use of one arm. Patients are usually discharged to tents, or improvised shelters in the sand, without rehabilitation. They are malnourished, so wounds heal less well. Infection rates are high and it is hard to keep track of them for follow-up. But it is happening. 'Amazing Palestinian colleagues are doing their very best … [and] without it, the mortality and the long-term disability rate would be much, much higher,' Groom said. The Ideals charity has been sending medical teams to the occupied Palestinian territories since 2009. But never before has it been so hard to bring in supplies. In the past Groom alone brought five large cases. On the most recent visit, his team was banned 'under pain of exclusion, confiscation and possible penalty' from bringing desperately needed equipment such as delicate plastic surgery tools for repairing vein and tissue or orthopaedic frames that allow broken bones to heal. Since the Ideals team first went to Gaza there have always been damaged buildings, but 'absolutely nothing to compare with the apocalyptic destruction that is everywhere' now. All his Palestinian colleagues have been forced to move, some many times. Many have lost close relatives, or most of their extended families. They live in tents near the hospitals with self-dug latrines for toilets. One woman slept in her hijab each night, 'so that if she was killed, she would be presentable', he recalled. 'What was astonishing was how many of them would turn up for work each day from their tents … clean, well-dressed and smiling.' Several appeared to shrug off unimaginable personal suffering. 'When they talked about the loss of family members … they would say 'this is our lives'. I probably have heard that a dozen times,' Groom said of his Palestinian colleagues. Several have also told him they do not want to be known as resilient. They just want the bombing to stop, said Groom. At his most recent visit, from 13 May to 4 June, market stalls had almost disappeared. Unrwa, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, reported on Tuesday that doctors and nurses were among people 'fainting from hunger and exhaustion', having previously said Israeli authorities were 'starving civilians'. On 20 July, an anaesthetist, who was also a parent to six children, told Groom that he and his family were starving. His children ranging from two to 13 are suffering from fatigue, weakness, cramps and amnesia. They were confused, they were crying, the anaesthetist said in messages to Groom seen by the Guardian. The anaesthetist could only give them salt to lick and water. Groom has relayed what he has witnessed in Gaza to policymakers in Brussels, Berlin and Paris, urging greater western pressure on Israel. 'Everywhere we were met with empathy, very often with tears, but with a sense of impotence.' After he spoke to the Guardian, the European Commission proposed a partial suspension of Israel's participation in the EU research programme, the first possible punitive measure against the Israeli government, which must be agreed by a majority of member states to take effect. Groom had been 'hugely disappointed' when earlier this month EU foreign ministers took no action following a review into the bloc's relations with Israel, 'but I don't think the fight is over'.
Al Jazeera
12-06-2025
- Al Jazeera
Gaza boy who lost 9 siblings speaks out as he's evacuated to Italy
NewsFeed Gaza boy who lost 9 siblings speaks out as he's evacuated to Italy Video shows 11-year-old Adam al-Najjar arriving in Italy for treatment after surviving an Israeli strike that killed his father and nine siblings. As he speaks about the attack and his injuries, the UN says Israel is waging a 'war on children.'
Al Jazeera
12-06-2025
- Health
- Al Jazeera
Boy who lost nine siblings to Israeli strike arrives in Italy for treatment
An 11-year-old Palestinian boy who was severely wounded in an Israeli air strike which killed his father and his nine siblings has arrived in Italy for medical treatment. Adam al-Najjar arrived with his mother at Milan's Linate airport on Wednesday, where he was greeted by Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who gave him a football. He was then transferred to the city's Niguarda Hospital for treatment of his injuries. Adam is the only one of 10 children in his family to survive an Israeli strike on their home in the city of Khan Younis, southern Gaza, on May 23. His siblings ranged in age from seven months to 12 years old. Adam's father, doctor Hamdi al-Najjar, also died of his injuries in the days following the attack. His mother, paediatrician Alaa al-Najjar, had been working at the time of the strike at Nasser Hospital, one of the few still operating in southern Gaza. Adam sustained serious burns to his body in the strike, the AFP news agency reported. His mother, who travelled to Milan for her son's treatment along with Adam's aunt and cousins, said her son was stable but would be treated for injuries, including multiple fractures to his arm. He 'has a head wound that is healing but his left arm is bad, the bones are fractured and the nerves damaged,' the 36-year-old told Italian newspaper La Repubblica. She said she focused on his recovery so as not to think of the horrors of the loss of her family. 'I remember everything. Every detail, every minute, every scream,' she told the newspaper. 'But when I remember, it's too painful, so I try to keep my mind focused entirely on Adam.' Adam's medical evacuation followed an appeal by his uncle in the media, which led Tajani to announce that Italy was prepared to help. Sixteen other Palestinian children, along with more than 50 family members, were also flown to Italy on Wednesday on military aircraft that set off from Israel's Eilat airport, the Italian foreign ministry said, according to Reuters. The injured children will be treated in hospitals in cities including Rome, Florence and Bologna. The Italian government has brought 150 injured Palestinians into the country for medical treatment to date, the foreign ministry said. Italy has been a vocal supporter of Israel since it launched its assault on Gaza in October 2023, although in recent months, officials have criticised the severity of Israel's response and expressed concern over the mounting death toll. According to the United Nations' child rights agency, UNICEF, more than 50,000 children have reportedly been killed or injured in the Israeli assault.
RNZ News
11-06-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Palestinian boy who lost nine siblings arrives in Italy for treatment
Adam Al-Najjar was being treated at Nasser Hsopital in southern Gaza until his transfer to Italy. Photo: AFP / Eyad Baba A group of 17 Palestinian children, including an 11-year-old boy who lost nine siblings in an Israel strike in Gaza last month , arrived in Italy on Wednesday (local time) for hospital treatment, accompanied by more than 50 family members. Adam Al-Najjar, who has multiple fractures, arrived with his mother at Milan's Linate airport where he was welcomed by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, before being transferred to the city's Niguarda Hospital. The plane that landed at Linate carried five other injured Palestinian minors, while 11 more arrived on flights to other Italian airports. The 23 May attack left Adam in a serious condition at Nasser Hospital, one of the few operational medical facilities in southern Gaza. Adam "is stable, has a head wound that is healing but his left arm is bad, the bones are fractured and the nerves damaged", his 36-year-old mother, Alaa al-Najjar, a paediatrician, told Italian newspaper La Repubblica. Adam's father, Hamdi al-Najjar, who was also a doctor, died a week after the attack. "The damage is in my left hand, there is a problem with the nerves, I can't feel my fingers. There's still a lot of pain," Adam told Turkish news agency Anadolu. A total of 70 Palestinians were set to arrive in Italy on three military aircraft that set off from Israel's Eilat airport, the Italian foreign ministry said earlier on Wednesday. The patients will be treated at hospitals in numerous cities including Milan, Rome, Florence and Bologna. According to the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) website, more than 15,000 children have reportedly been killed and more than 34,000 injured in almost two years of war in Gaza. Including the latest operation, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government has so far brought 150 injured Palestinians from Gaza to Italy for treatment, the foreign ministry said. The Italian government has been a staunch supporter of Israel since the 7 October, 2023 attack by Hamas-led militants that killed some 1200 people and took about 250 hostages to Gaza, according to Israeli figures. In recent months, Rome has criticised the extent of the Israeli response, and expressed concern as the death toll in Gaza has mounted, while declining to apply sanctions. Italy was not among numerous European Union countries that called last month for a review of EU-Israeli economic and trade relations. _Reuters
Arab News
11-06-2025
- Health
- Arab News
Palestinian boy who lost nine siblings arrives in Italy for treatment
MILAN: A group of 17 Palestinian children, including an 11-year-old boy who lost nine siblings in an Israel strike in Gaza last month, arrived in Italy on Wednesday for hospital treatment, accompanied by more than 50 family members. Adam Al-Najjar, who has multiple fractures, arrived with his mother at Milan's Linate airport where he was welcomed by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, before being transferred to the city's Niguarda Hospital. The plane that landed at Linate carried five other injured Palestinian minors, while 11 more arrived on flights to other Italian airports. The May 23 attack left Adam in a serious condition at Nasser Hospital, one of the few operational medical facilities in southern Gaza. Adam 'is stable, has a head wound that is healing but his left arm is bad, the bones are fractured and the nerves damaged,' his 36-year-old mother, Alaa Al-Najjar, a paediatrician, told Italian newspaper la Repubblica. Adam's father, Hamdi Al-Najjar, who was also a doctor, died a week after the attack. 'The damage is in my left hand, there is a problem with the nerves, I can't feel my fingers. There's still a lot of pain,' Adam told Turkish news agency Anadolu. A total of 70 Palestinians were set to arrive in Italy on three military aircraft that set off from Israel's Eilat airport, the Italian foreign ministry said earlier on Wednesday. The patients will be treated at hospitals in numerous cities including Milan, Rome, Florence and Bologna. According to the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) website, more than 15,000 children have reportedly been killed and over 34,000 injured in almost two years of war in Gaza. Including the latest operation, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government has so far brought 150 injured Palestinians from Gaza to Italy for treatment, the foreign ministry said. The Italian government has been a staunch supporter of Israel since the Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas-led militants that killed some 1,200 people and took about 250 hostages to Gaza, according to Israeli figures. In recent months, Rome has criticized the extent of the Israeli response, and expressed concern as the death toll in Gaza has mounted, while declining to apply sanctions. Italy was not among numerous European Union countries that called last month for a review of EU-Israeli economic and trade relations.
