Unequal Evacuation in Northern Gaza: Both Patients Reunited at Local Hospital
Rami Mahmoud rushed to buy food, leaving his wife, Elham Maged, praying at home Upon his return, he found their Gaza apartment obliterated by an Israeli airstrike in Jabalya Refugee Camp Chaos ensued as families fled south, while they remain displaced in Egypt
When Rami Mahmoud ventured out of his family's residence to purchase food, his wife, Elham Maged, chose to stay back and engage in prayer. Upon his return through the narrow, tightly-packed streets of Jabalya Refugee Camp in northern Gaza, he was met with an unsettling sight of utter chaos. An Israeli airstrike had forcefully struck the center of this heavily populated community, leaving a deep crater in its wake. Their apartment had been obliterated.
Amidst the wreckage, Mahmoud's attention was abruptly drawn to a lone finger emerging from the rubble; it was Elham's. Miraculously, she had managed to survive. Yet, his relief at finding her alive was fleeting, as they soon discovered the tragic loss of two of their children. From that moment onwards, their lives were forever changed.
Elham Maged speaks to CNN from inside Cairo's Nasser Medical Institute.
Two weeks after the tragic incident, the couple finds themselves at Cairo's Nasser Medical Institute in Egypt, over 200 miles southwest of Gaza City. The devastated state of their home has now been replaced by the organized and hygienic environment of this foreign medical facility. Instead of the sounds of rockets and explosions, they now hear the constant and peaceful noise of traffic in bustling Cairo.
However, despite efforts to ensure safety and provide care, the haunting presence of grief remains. Elham shared a heart-wrenching account of her daughter's last moments, recalling how she had a premonition of her impending fate. She reached out to her best friend, requesting that she take care of her mother and visit her regularly.
With tears streaming down her face, Elham spoke of her son's vibrant personality. He was a handsome young man, a high school student who frequented the gym and had a tall, well-built physique. His appearance was important to him, evident by the fact that he had recently gotten a haircut, even amidst the turmoil of war. He had expressed a desire to look his best, even in the face of death.
Palestinians flee to southern Gaza along Salah Eddin Street, on the outskirts of Gaza City, during the ongoing Israeli bombardment on Saturday, November 18, 2023.
Adel Hana/AP
Mahmoud graciously shared intimate family portraits with us. Their 15-year-old daughter captivated us with her wide, mesmerizing eyes and delicate features accentuated by her headscarf. The 17-year-old son exuded warmth as he playfully carried a young boy on his back, revealing a radiant smile beneath his disheveled black hair.
"God both granted and took away," his wife expressed. "All I desire is to reconnect with my other children. Unfortunately, there is no internet access there, so I am completely unaware of their well-being. I trust they are in the care of their grandfather, in a safe place, but there is no means of communication to reach them."
Since October 7, the Israeli attacks on Gaza have resulted in the loss of over 12,000 Palestinian lives, including an estimated 5,000 innocent children, as reported by the Hamas government press office. Israel justifies its airstrikes as targeted towards Hamas leaders and infrastructure, in response to the terrorist attacks by the militant groups on October 7 that claimed the lives of 1,200 people in Israel and took around 240 individuals as hostages.
Families flee south
Israeli military operations in northern Gaza, where Rami and Elham resided, have primarily concentrated. The military claims to have successfully gained control of this region. Despite evacuation orders for Gaza civilians in the north to relocate southward, airstrikes continue to target this densely populated area unabatedly.
Muhammed Wadea speaks to CNN.
Muhammed Wadea, who blames himself, admits to following the Israeli evacuation orders. He made the choice to listen to the warnings of the IDF and relocate his family from their home to head south, as he tells CNN.
On October 16th, they were in the southern city of Khan Younis, when their sheltering building was hit by an apparent Israeli strike. Currently, Wadeas' 9-year-old son, Abdelrahman, and his 14-year-old sister are sharing a hospital room at Nasser Medical Institute. Both children suffered multiple injuries, including broken bones, severe skin damage, and shrapnel embedded in their flesh.
Abdelrahman remembered how he was enjoying potato chips with his cousin on a sofa one moment, only to wake up among debris and destruction the next.
Wadea, standing anxiously by his children, expressed profound anguish on his face as he struggled with unbearable guilt. There had been no indication or presence of Hamas in the place they were staying. He broke down in tears as he spoke.
He expressed his concern for Abdelrahman's siblings, wishing for their well-being and life. He prayed for God's mercy upon them. Revealing that he has a total of nine children, he mentioned that his oldest daughter, Riham, is 18 and already married. Furthermore, he stated that his youngest child is four years old. Wadea and Mahmoud's families, like many others, departed from Gaza using Rafah Crossing, the sole available route out of the Palestinian enclave. This particular exit became the only option after Israel closed off other passages post the October 7 assault.
Displaced in Egypt
In the wake of a deal facilitated by Qatar among Israel, Hamas, and Egypt, in coordination with the United States, a restricted number of Palestinians and foreign nationals have been granted permission to escape Gaza and enter Egypt through Rafah.
Nasser Medical Institute is one of 37 hospitals that have been readied to accept injured evacuees from Gaza, Egypts health minister, Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, told CNN.
Injured children board an ambulance to be transferred from Al-Aqsa Hospital to Egypt for medical treatment through Rafah on November 17, 2023.
Mustafa Hassona/Anadolu/Getty Images
Over 1,100 beds and 1,700 ICU units, along with facilities like incubators, have been allocated, according to the explanation. As of this week, over 200 spots have been occupied, but the number of people able to enter the border since November 1st continues to be low.
On Friday, an Egyptian border official informed a CNN journalist in Rafah that over 550 foreigners, 45 injured Palestinians, and 40 accompanying individuals departed Gaza through the crossing.
One group that is especially susceptible is among those undertaking the dangerous voyage. Recently, Egyptian authorities anticipated evacuating around thirty-six newborn babies to Egypt who were born in extremely difficult conditions at Al-Shifa hospital.
Due to the controversial operation conducted by the IDF at Al-Shifa hospital, which aims to discover a Hamas command and control center as asserted by both Israeli and US intelligence, the electricity supply has significantly decreased. Consequently, the ability to provide essential oxygen to the incubators, which is vital for the survival of these vulnerable infants, has been greatly compromised.
On Sunday, Palestinian authorities evacuated thirty-one babies from Al-Shifa hospital to Rafah, a city in southern Gaza. It was reported that several newborns had passed away as a result of power outages and a lack of medical supplies. The following day, a total of twenty-eight babies were transported from Gaza to Egypt via the Rafah crossing, as confirmed by an Egyptian government official. One baby was discharged in Gaza and returned home with their parents to their temporary shelter, while the remaining two were admitted to the ICU unit at Emirati hospital in Rafah, Gaza.
Gaza has been subjected to a severe blockade by Israel, severely limiting access to food, water, and electricity. The United Nations has described the humanitarian aid provided as a mere "trickle," while the situation in Gaza has reached a point of desperation due to dwindling fuel supplies. This has forced the closure of 26 out of the 35 hospitals in the enclave.
Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Egyptian minister of health, speaks to CNN's Eleni Giokos.
CNN
Ghaffar informed CNN recently that Egypt was about to receive these fragile, precious individuals who were on their way to the challenging path towards the Rafah border crossing. However, as time passed, the tension in the atmosphere became increasingly intense. "Time is crucial," he emphasized. "With every minute that passes without us being able to bring them in, the risk of them losing their lives becomes very high."
The message underneath was evident; during these most despairing and uncertain moments, certain heartbreaking events unfold that cannot be prevented by those who have the power to intervene.
