Amir is part of my extended family and he is like a son to me. I have watched him grow into a smart and caring little boy. At eight years of age, he loves to play football and ride his bicycle. He and his family, including three brothers and one sister, lived in the same building with us, in Deir al-Balah in Gaza.

This is before a bomb destroyed our house. Although we were all pulled from the rubble of the building, everyone sustained injuries — but fortunately, none were fatal. This tragedy completely transformed all of our lives; our loving and supportive family was torn apart and everyone has now been living in total fear and worry.

It was a Tuesday in December 2023, the 19th, and we had just finished performing the evening prayer. We sat chatting and drinking coffee while Amir was playing and having fun with his cousins. All of a sudden, there were two large explosions in our three-story building; an Israeli warplane had dropped bombs on us, causing big holes in our ceilings and walls, and rubble, glass, and stones to fly everywhere. In an instant, everything we knew had been turned upside down. Then darkness and silence filled our home.

I heard the sounds of moaning and crying, telling of pain and agony. In a daze, I finally found a way to light my path and there was Amir, bloodied and scared. Tears mixed with blood and flowed down the face of this sweet, blameless child.

It was clear that Amir had been injured and needed medical attention. I carried him out and took him to the nearby hospital, where doctors did the necessary work to save him and his cousins. I realized at that time how fortunate it was for Amir to have survived this terrible bombing, even if his situation became filled with sadness and pain. After that, Amir began anew the journey of displacement and escape from death. In a way, he was reborn.

But Amir’s story doesn’t end here. On Sunday, March 10, 2024, he was faced with another calamity. After falling asleep to the sound of explosions and waking up to the roar of warplanes — which had become everyday occurrences now — Amir and his older brother, Ali, were playing together in a room. They ate lunch from a mixture of canned food that was distributed to people and families who were displaced in Gaza.

Afterward, he washed his hands, as he always does. Amir was having a lot of fun, especially as he joked with his brother while they played a competitive game: “I will defeat you once and you will defeat me again.” Amir and Ali laughed and laughed. The sounds of joy and pleasure filled the air.

Amir could not have imagined that this day would bring back the awful past, with even greater, excruciating pain. He suddenly heard a strange, loud sound, then dust and rocks started to fall on him and Ali. The family heard screaming and crying and then Ali came out of the room covered in blood and said, in a low, sad voice: “Please go get Amir. He is injured.” We went in quickly to rescue Amir.

Amir tried to walk but was unable to find his balance. He fell unconscious from the pain and bleeding. This time his injuries were more serious and could have been fatal, had it not been for God’s mercy. He closed his eyes and murmured to his father, “Is this my fault? Am I forbidden from playing and having fun?” It was heartbreaking to hear his words. His father tried to comfort Amir and took him to the hospital where doctors started to take care of his wounds. This is when he began his long journey in medical treatment.

This time was different from the previous one. Amir’s toes had to be amputated, and he may never be able to play football again, his favorite sport. He was also injured in his shoulder and his hand.

The small body of this child, Amir, has had to face the formidable machine of killing and hatred and destruction. Like so many children in Gaza, Amir survives, though he is scarred for life both physically and mentally. By the grace of God he escaped death again and was reborn a second time; nevertheless, his life will never be the same. And somehow, through his continuing and intense pain, Amir manages to maintain some hope.

All the children in Gaza are very, very tired. They have experienced so much pain and psychological trauma. Their parents cannot provide for them adequately nor can they protect these innocent children. After they move with their families from one dangerous place to another, to escape Israel’s relentless bombing, they are exhausted and unable to function properly. They are malnourished and dehydrated. They have not been in school for nearly an entire academic year. An entire generation of Gaza’s children has been experiencing unspeakable horrors. Why is the world allowing this to happen?