DaysofPal – An 11-year-old Palestinian boy, Adam al-Najjar, who was critically wounded in an Israeli airstrike that killed his father and all nine of his siblings, has arrived in Italy for urgent medical treatment.
Adam landed with his mother, Dr. Alaa al-Najjar, at Milan’s Linate Airport on Wednesday. He was greeted by Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who presented the boy with a football before he was transferred to Niguarda Hospital for care.
Adam is the only surviving child of ten siblings after an Israeli strike destroyed their home in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, on May 23. His brothers and sisters, who ranged in age from seven months to 12 years, were all killed in the attack. His father, Dr. Hamdi al-Najjar, succumbed to his injuries days later.
Dr. Alaa al-Najjar, a pediatrician, had been working at Nasser Hospital at the time of the airstrike, one of the last functioning medical facilities in southern Gaza.
According to AFP, Adam sustained serious burns and multiple injuries. His mother told La Repubblica that he is in stable condition but will require extended treatment. “He has a head wound that is healing, but his left arm is bad; the bones are fractured, and the nerves damaged,” the 36-year-old said.
Choosing to focus on her son’s recovery, Alaa said she tries not to dwell on the immense loss she has suffered.
“I remember everything. Every detail, every minute, every scream,” she said. “But when I remember, it’s too painful, so I try to keep my mind focused entirely on Adam.”
Adam’s evacuation was made possible after his uncle’s appeal to the media prompted a response from the Italian government. Foreign Minister Tajani announced that Italy would take action, leading to Adam’s transfer out of Gaza.
Alongside Adam, 16 other injured Palestinian children and over 50 relatives arrived in Italy on military aircraft from Israel’s Eilat airport, according to the Italian foreign ministry. The children will receive treatment in hospitals across Italy, including in Rome, Florence, and Bologna.
To date, Italy has taken in 150 wounded Palestinians for medical care, the ministry said.
While Italy has consistently expressed political support for Israel since the beginning of its military operation in Gaza in October 2023, Italian officials have more recently voiced criticism over the scale of Israel’s response and rising civilian casualties.
According to UNICEF, the United Nations children’s agency, more than 50,000 children have been killed or injured in Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza.
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