Bana and her young brother in Khan Younis. Photo: AFSC/Gaza
Bana, a young girl, lived in Gaza City, where her home was once a safe haven for her family. But the war spared no one. The bombing destroyed their house, and her older brother, who carried all her hopes and dreams, was killed. Her mother and sister were severely injured. On that dreadful day, Bana remained trapped under the rubble for an entire day, uncertain if she would survive.
After those harrowing moments, Bana was taken to the southern part of the Gaza Strip, leaving her mother and sister behind in the hospital for treatment. She wished they would heal quickly, but traveling abroad was the only option to save them.
Bana was left alone with her father and younger brother in a simple tent in the Mawasi area of Khan Younis. In her heart, she carried the memories of her martyred brother, and her tears never dried as she waited for her mother and sister to return, hoping to see them again, safe and sound.
Despite all the pain, we tried to ease her suffering. As part of our educational intervention for children in displaced places, we gave Bana and her younger brother a small gift—a bag filled with stationery and a toy. We hoped to bring a smile to her innocent face, which reflects deep sorrow. Bana is just one among thousands of children who have suffered in this war, each story carrying pain that words cannot describe.
