Atlanta, GA
12-year-old girl injured in Gaza bombing receives life-saving surgery in Atlanta
Gaza bombing survivor healing after surgery
Young Palestinian girl has received life changing surgery in Atlanta thanks to a nonprofit. Bombing of the refugee camp in Gaza where she had evacuated to with her family gravely injured her.
ATLANTA – A 12-year-old girl from Gaza, grievously injured in a bombing, is recovering well after receiving life-changing surgery in Atlanta, thanks to a nonprofit.
Her recovery is going so well that she can now even dance again.
Twelve-year-old Habiba Abu Khadeir compares how long her hair used to be before her surgery. She was injured in a bombing at a Gaza Strip refugee camp. She says she really loved her long hair and misses it. (FOX 5)
Gaza bombing injures young girl
Timeline:
According to the nonprofit Heal Palestine, on Jan. 23, 2024, the refugee camp in Khan Younis where 12-year-old Habiba Abu Khadeir was staying with her family was bombed. She lost her mom and her little sister in the attack,” said Dr. Abeer Abouyabis, who translated for Habiba and her aunt Hiyam Abu Khadeir.
Dr. Abouyabis is also hosting Habiba and her aunt while they’re in the U.S. She explained how Habiba was gravely injured in the attack. “She actually had her skull blown out, and her internal organs were exposed,” Dr. Abouyabis explained.
A Gaza hospital was able to stitch Habiba up, but she was in a coma for three weeks. When she woke up, her aunt was able to evacuate her to Egypt.
It wasn’t until Dec. 14, 2024, that Heal Palestine was able to get Habiba to Atlanta for treatment.
On Jan. 7, Habiba was able to get the surgery she needed. She’ll get x-rays in two weeks, where they will determine if she’s ready to travel again.
This image shows 12-year-old Habiba Abu Khadeir right after her surgery in Atlanta. She was injured in a bombing at a refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. (Supplied)
Atlanta helps heal little girl
Local perspective:
Because of the extent of the injuries to her skull, Habiba couldn’t get the surgery she needed in the Middle East. “It was a cranioplasty; she had lost all the bone on the right side of her head. They had to build that from titanium and other materials so that they could close the area to protect the brain,” Dr. Abouyabis said.
Through what Hiyam describes as a miracle, she was able to meet someone from Heal Palestine in Egypt, who then arranged for Habiba to come to Atlanta.
On Jan. 7, Habiba got the cranioplasty. Heal Palestine said it can’t disclose the name of the hospital or doctor who treated Habiba due to concerns that some may want to target them. Hiyam says she was very grateful for the way the doctor treated Habiba. “She’s saying that they were very touched by the doctor who did the surgery. Habiba was apparently giving him a little bit of a hard time, but he made her a personal promise that he was going to do the surgery like she was his daughter. They really felt like he treated her like a daughter, not just like a patient,” Dr. Abouyabis said.
The surgery was a success, and although Habiba is disappointed she had to shave her head for the surgery, she’s already feeling well enough to dance and sing.
Twelve-year-old Habiba Abu Khadeir shows a traditional Palestinian dance, something she was not able to do since before she was injured in a bombing in the Gaza Strip.
Palestinian girl hopes to rebuild home
What’s next:
If the x-rays show that she is recovering well and cleared for travel, Habiba plans to return to Egypt with her aunt. Habiba’s father and siblings are still in a tent in a Gaza refugee camp. She says her hope is that they can one day rebuild their home and live there together, so they never have to stay in a tent again.
The Source: The nonprofit Heal Palestine provided details and facilitated interviews for this article. FOX 5’s Eric Mock spoke with 12-year-old Habiba Abu Khadeir, her aunt, and Dr. Abeer Abouyabis.