A child's treatment in Gaza continued for months

Six-year-old Raseel el-Balavi, who was wounded in an airstrike in Gaza, has undergone more than 20 surgeries since the end of July. She has had to be returned to the operating room frequently to keep infections in her wounds under control.

According to images and field reporting shared by the BBC, Raseel's treatment continued throughout the summer. The coverage followed both the child's medical struggle and the difficulties faced by doctors working in Gaza.

Witnesses said the attack hit a tent in Al-Mawasi camp

Witnesses to the incident said the tent where Raseel was staying in Al-Mawasi camp was struck in an attack carried out by an Israeli helicopter. They said the young girl then entered a difficult course of treatment, and that the risk of infection made her condition even more complicated.

The Israeli army said it had no record of the attack. It also said it regretted any harm to civilians.

Destroyed infrastructure makes children's lives even harder

BBC Eye Investigations followed Raseel through the summer, as the ceasefire weakened and bombardment continued, documenting the state of health care in Gaza. The report focused not only on one child's treatment story, but also on the burden facing medical teams working under wartime conditions.

Video shot by BBC World Service over the summer showed how children in Gaza are trying to survive amid an almost completely destroyed infrastructure. According to the coverage, the main conditions directly affecting children's lives were:

  • The need for repeated surgeries to control infections after injuries
  • The widespread destruction of infrastructure needed for survival

The experience of Raseel el-Balavi once again drew attention to the impact of the ongoing conflict in Gaza on children and the pressure on the health system.