In brief
Sixteen children, evacuated from Gaza after sustaining injuries during the conflict, are now navigating life in Italy with uncertain futures. They face the challenges of recovery, cultural adjustment, and the haunting memories of war.
Italian summer camp kids peppered Shaymaa Shady, 6, with questions about how she lost her leg. “Ha fatto la guerra,” one child said, meaning she had “gone to war.” Shaymaa and 15 other children were evacuated from Gaza months ago, urgently needing medical care. Sarah Yusuf, with a broken pelvis from an Israeli strike, can now play without limping. Ahmad al-Saafen, 4, is still learning to use his new leg, which replaced one lost under Israeli bombardment over a year ago. Baian Azoum, only 4 years old, was pulled from the rubble of Gaza in critical condition. She faces nearly two years of treatment ahead in an unfamiliar land. The Children Who Left Gaza, a project featuring photographs by Laura Boushnak alongside rich narratives by Boushnak and Alan Yuhas, captures their harrowing journey.These young evacuees and their caretakers are mostly unaware of the local language or culture and know little about their futures or the fate of their families left behind. Their connection to war is vivid and painful. Sixteen children, all but one under 15, were airlifted from Gaza earlier this year after suffering severe injuries in the Israeli-Hamas conflict. The evacuations followed painstaking negotiations involving aid groups, Israel, Egypt, and Italy, ensuring each injured child was accompanied by a caretaker, often a family member.Many of these children had limbs amputated to save their lives, resulting in everlasting scars. Most have lost loved ones and left behind families whose safety remains uncertain. They face a daunting question: Should they seek asylum, or will they ever return home?“Italy is beautiful, but I need support,” said Lina Gamal, Shaymaa’s aunt and caretaker, mentioning her many family members she left in Gaza. “As long as I have no one around me, it’s nothing.”Despite the difficult circumstances, evacuees feel fortunate. Since Hamas initiated an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and Israel’s subsequent military response, over 40,000 Palestinians have lost their lives, as per Gaza’s health ministry. Many more are left disabled in a region ravaged by conflict.The children face not only painful recoveries but also the challenge of engaging in schoolyards and summer camps filled with peers who are unfamiliar with their native language and the traumatic history of their homeland.
