On August 7, 2024, the Abu Shaban family, supported by the Heal Palestine organization, left Egypt and landed in Chicago. This flight marked a turning point in the life of Khalil, a 13-year-old Palestinian boy injured during an Israeli bombing in Gaza, who lost both his legs.
Khalil’s arrival at the Chicago airport was marked by a warm welcome from the Palestinian community. Reem Abu Shaban, Khalil’s mother, recounts in an exclusive interview with Anadolu the tragic circumstances of what turned their lives upside down. “Khalil was injured in front of the hairdressing salon where he had forgotten his glasses,” she explains with emotion.
She remembers the moment when, upon hearing the detonation, her family rushed to discover the horror: Khalil was lying among the other victims. “There was no help or ambulances,” she laments, highlighting the desperate absence of immediate aid in Gaza that day.
The family had to use their ingenuity to get Khalil to the hospital on a tricycle, a journey made difficult by the surrounding destruction. “The journey took thirty minutes despite the proximity to the hospital,” recalls Reem. However, once they arrived, Khalil had to wait several hours for surgery, lying on a stretcher on the ground.
Khalil’s story came to the attention of Heal Palestine thanks to journalists present at the scene. Fourteen days later, the family was evacuated to Egypt. “Khalil stayed in Egypt for three months, waiting for the finalization of the procedures to come to Chicago,” confides Reem.
Before the war, life for Reem and her family in Gaza was happy and well established. “We were at home, in peace,” she remembers with deep nostalgia. Lola, Khalil’s older sister, also remembers this peaceful life, disrupted by the current conflict.
A student at Al-Azhar University, Lola reveals with sadness the uncertainty hovering over her future. “Nothing is clear as long as the war in Gaza continues,” she regrets. She hopes for a quick end to the war so that the children of Gaza can return to normal life.
Khalil, despite his young age, demonstrates the desire to return to a normal life. Currently undergoing treatment in Chicago, he is impatiently awaiting the arrival of his prosthetics. “I am happy and enthusiastic,” he says, a smile lighting up his face, demonstrating a resilience as strong as his determination to rebuild his life.
Related News :