Nine-Year-Old Maryam Sabah’s Simple Wish: To Move Her Hand Again
In the heart of Deir al-Balah, a city in the Gaza Strip, nine-year-old Maryam Sabah once lived a life filled with the joys of childhood. Playing, laughing, and dreaming without a care in the world. Today, her greatest wish is painfully simple: to move her hand again.
Maryam’s life changed forever at the beginning of this month when a violent Israeli bombing targeted an area next to her home. The area, ironically declared by Israel as a “safe zone for displacement,” became the site of unimaginable tragedy.
“I was sleeping, and I woke up to the sound of bombing,” Maryam recounted during an interview on the BBC Arabic program Gaza Today. “I started running to my father and mother’s room. The stairs fell on top of me, and I felt that my hand was cut off.”
The aftermath was chaotic. Maryam’s father, Fatima Sabah, described the harrowing moment: “The stairs fell on her, and I couldn’t get her out on my own.” Doctors later found Maryam’s severed hand under the rubble and performed a delicate, five-hour surgery to reattach it.
“I heard the doctor asking my father: Where is her hand?” Maryam recalled, her voice trembling. “Then they found it under the rubble and reattached it to my body.”
Despite the surgery, Maryam’s recovery is far from certain. “I still don’t understand what happened,” she said. “But all I hope now is to be able to move my hand.”
Maryam’s story is a stark reminder of the human cost of conflict. Her simple wish underscores the profound impact of war on innocent lives,especially children.
Key Details of Maryam’s Story
Table of Contents
- Key Details of Maryam’s Story
- The Night That Changed Everything
- A Father’s agony
- A Race Against time
- A Glimmer of Hope
- Key points at a Glance
- The Broader Context
- A Call to Action
- A Night of Chaos and Courage
- A Glimmer of Hope Amidst Despair
- The State of Gaza’s Healthcare System
- A Call for Global Support
- “840 Palestinian children have had their limbs amputated by the end of 2024 in Gaza.”
| Detail | Facts |
|————————–|———————————————————————————|
| Name | Maryam Sabah |
| Age | 9 years old |
| Location | Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip |
| Injury | severed hand, reattached after five-hour surgery |
| Context | Injured in an Israeli bombing in a declared “safe zone” |
| Current Wish | To regain movement in her hand |
Maryam’s story is not just hers alone. It reflects the broader humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where thousands of children face similar fates. As the world watches, her simple wish serves as a poignant call for peace and humanity.
For more on the ongoing situation in Gaza,visit Al Jazeera’s live updates or explore the latest developments on the Associated Press.
Maryam’s resilience is a testament to the strength of the human spirit. Her story demands attention, action, and above all, hope.A Night of Horror and Hope: The Story of Maryam and Her Amputated Hand
In the heart of the Gaza Strip, where the echoes of conflict reverberate daily, the story of Maryam Sabah, a young girl whose life was forever changed by a single night of terror, stands as a testament to both the fragility of life and the resilience of the human spirit.
The Night That Changed Everything
It began like any other night in Deir Al-Balah,a city in the central Gaza strip,until the ground next to the Sabah family’s home was targeted. Fatima Sabah, Maryam’s mother, recalls the harrowing moments: “After the ground next to our house was targeted, Maryam ran towards our room to escape the bombing. Suddenly, the stairs fell on her, and I was unable to get her out alone. I called her father for help in an attempt to pull her out from under the rubble.”
The family’s desperate efforts to save Maryam were met with a devastating revelation. “When we pulled her out from under the rubble, we were shocked to find that her hand had been amputated,” fatima added.
A Father’s agony
For Muhammad Sabah, Maryam’s father, the ordeal was nothing short of a nightmare. “It was the moast difficult three hours of my life,” he said. “I was looking at her hand while she was talking to me and saying,‘What happened to me,Father?’ And I did not dare tell her that her hand had been amputated.”
The family rushed Maryam to Al-aqsa Martyrs Hospital, a facility that has become a lifeline for countless victims of the ongoing conflict. There, they encountered Dr.Muhammad Al-Taher, an Iraqi doctor whose speedy thinking and expertise would play a pivotal role in Maryam’s recovery.
A Race Against time
Dr. Al-Taher urged the family to retrieve Maryam’s amputated hand, despite the perilous conditions. “When we arrived at the hospital, dr. Al-Taher came and asked us to look for the hand, despite the difficult situation and the danger of returning home,” muhammad explained.
Resolute to save his daughter’s hand, Muhammad sent Maryam’s uncle back to their devastated home. “Despite the danger of the road,I asked the child’s uncle to return home,and he kept searching under the rubble until he found the amputated hand,” Muhammad recounted.Miraculously, the hand was in good condition, preserved by the cold weather.
A Glimmer of Hope
With the hand recovered, Dr. Al-Taher immediately performed the surgery. The operation was a success, offering a glimmer of hope in an otherwise bleak situation. The Sabah family’s story is a stark reminder of the human cost of conflict, but it also highlights the extraordinary efforts of medical professionals like Dr. al-Taher,who work tirelessly to save lives under unimaginable conditions.
Key points at a Glance
| Aspect | Details |
|————————–|—————————————————————————–|
| Location | Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza Strip |
| Hospital | Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital |
| Doctor | Dr. Muhammad Al-Taher |
| Injury | Maryam’s hand amputated due to bombing |
| Recovery | Amputated hand retrieved and reattached successfully |
| Key Quote | “It was the most difficult three hours of my life.” – Muhammad Sabah |
The Broader Context
The Gaza Strip has long been a flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with civilians often bearing the brunt of the violence.Hospitals like Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital are frequently overwhelmed, yet they remain beacons of hope, providing critical care to those in need.
Maryam’s story is just one of manny, but it underscores the importance of international support for medical facilities in conflict zones. Organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) play a crucial role in providing resources and expertise to these overburdened institutions.
A Call to Action
As we reflect on Maryam’s journey, it’s essential to recognize the broader implications of her story.The ongoing conflict in Gaza demands urgent attention and action from the international community. Supporting humanitarian efforts and advocating for peace are steps we can all take to help prevent stories like Maryam’s from becoming all too common.
For more information on how you can support medical aid in conflict zones, visit the World Health Organization or Médecins Sans Frontières.Maryam’s story is a poignant reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and the power of hope, even in the darkest of times. Let it inspire us to act, to care, and to never forget the human faces behind the headlines.Baby Maryam’s Miraculous Surgery Amid Gaza’s Ongoing Crisis
In the midst of relentless bombing and a dire humanitarian crisis in gaza, a story of resilience and hope has emerged. Baby Maryam, a young child, underwent a miraculous surgery to reattach her hand after it was severed during an attack. The procedure, performed under extraordinary circumstances, highlights both the courage of medical professionals and the devastating toll of the conflict on Gaza’s healthcare system.
A Night of Chaos and Courage
Iraqi doctor Muhammad Al-Taher, a trauma and peripheral nerve surgeon, recounted the harrowing night when Maryam was brought to the emergency department of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. “It was a very difficult night. The bombing was continuing when Maryam came to the emergency department,” he said.Maryam,who had lost her hand and was suffering from severe pain,was rushed to the hospital by her father,Muhammad Sabah. Despite the chaos, Dr. Al-Taher made a bold decision. “I asked her father to bring the hand, despite the difficulty of the situation,” he explained. Once the limb was retrieved, the surgical team worked tirelessly to reattach it, even as the hospital grappled with a severe lack of medical resources.
A Glimmer of Hope Amidst Despair
The surgery was prosperous, and Maryam’s condition is now stable. However, her recovery is far from over. Her father emphasized that she needs continuous follow-up care and potentially treatment outside Gaza. This is a common challenge for many patients in the region, where hospitals are overwhelmed and lack the necessary equipment to handle critical cases.Amjad Shawa, director of the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network, highlighted the broader crisis. “25,000 sick and wounded people need immediate medical evacuation from the Gaza Strip because hospitals lack the necessary equipment to treat critical cases,” he said.
The State of Gaza’s Healthcare System
The story of Baby Maryam underscores the dire state of Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure. Hospitals like Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital are operating with limited resources, often lacking basic medical supplies and equipment. Despite these challenges, medical professionals continue to perform life-saving procedures, demonstrating remarkable resilience.
| Key Points | Details |
|————————————|—————————————————————————–|
| Patient | Baby Maryam, a young child who lost her hand in an attack |
| Surgeon | Dr. Muhammad Al-Taher, trauma and peripheral nerve surgeon |
| Hospital | al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, Gaza |
| Challenges | Lack of medical resources, ongoing bombing, and overcrowded hospitals |
| Outcome | Successful hand reattachment, but ongoing care needed |
A Call for Global Support
Maryam’s story is a stark reminder of the urgent need for international support. With thousands of patients requiring immediate evacuation and hospitals operating beyond capacity, the situation in Gaza demands urgent attention. Organizations like the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network are calling for increased aid and medical supplies to address the crisis.
As the world watches, the resilience of individuals like Dr. Al-Taher and the bravery of families like Maryam’s offer a glimmer of hope. Yet, without sustained intervention, the suffering in Gaza will only continue to escalate.
For more information on how you can support humanitarian efforts in Gaza, visit Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network.
This article is based on original reporting by the BBC. For further details, read the full story here. facing a critical stage due to the risk of her being exposed to infection, as the hand was contaminated with dust and gunpowder as an inevitable result of the bombing.
