‘I am scared’: Palestinian child after Israeli airstrike in Gaza

By Mohamed Majed

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) – Nadine Abdul Latif, a 12-year-old Palestinian child, can’t believe she is alive after an Israeli airstrike on her home in Gaza City.

She is now taking shelter at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza after the destruction of her home in the attack.

“I’m scared and terrified,” the Palestinian girl told Anadolu on Wednesday.

Abdul Latif’s cousins were injured in the Israeli strike.

“We miraculously survived the attack, but we live in fear,” she said.

Israel has launched a massive bombardment campaign on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by Hamas into Israeli territory on Oct. 7.

More than 7,900 people have been killed in the conflict, including at least 6,546 Palestinians and 1,400 Israelis.

Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been running out of food, water, medicines, and fuel, and aid convoys allowed into Gaza have carried only a fraction of what is needed.

“We want to live like any other people,” Abdul Latif said.

“We are tired, we want our rights, we want to live like other children around the world,” the child said. “This is not a life; there is no safe place, not even in churches, not in mosques, and not in hospitals."

Gaza’s Government Media Office said Wednesday that around 70% of the territory’s 2.3 million population have fled their homes due to the ongoing Israeli airstrikes amid harsh living conditions.

UN chief Antonio Guterres has called for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in Gaza to ease the “epic human suffering.”

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala in Istanbul