Gaza girl in dire need of kidney transplant amid humanitarian crisis

RAMALLAH, Mar. 2  — 13-year-old Gaza girl In’am Al-Attar was
reunited with her mother Salwa Al-Attar Wednesday after arriving in
Ramallah to receive kidney transplant amid current humanitarian crisis.

The child drew attention on social media by refusing to enter the hospital
without her mother.The moment of reunification was heavy with emotions, as
the mother and daughter went through an exceptional process to allow her
mother a permit by Israeli authorities, after high level interventions by
the Palestinian government, according to Ramallah governor Laila
Ghannam.Salwa Al-Attar expressed her feelings to Xinhua saying “I left
behind my ill husband and all my other children for the sake of my beloved
daughter, this is all for In’am’s sake, she is my only daughter after six
sons.”Her childhood innocence touched me when she was saying come mama,
because she is always attached to me and we are always together,” she said.

The mother explained that it is very difficult for her to leave her duties
in Gaza, but was grateful that she was able to get an exception to be with
her daughter during her scheduled tests, which were impossible to have them
done in Gaza due to the crisis in the humanitarian crisis.Al-Attar is in
dire need of kidney transplant and has arrived with her maternal uncle to
take necessary tests to check if her uncle Khaled is a positive match.In
her simple words, she wished for children to live healthily, especially
those suffering from kidney failure condition.”I pray for all ill children
to find cure, and for all those who need kidney transplant to get one,” she
said.

After her story went viral on social media demanding for her mother to be
with her, the governor of Ramallah Laila Ghannam rushed to her help,
accompanied by mothers of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces who went to
stress a message of solidarity.Ghannam said contact were held with all
relevant parties, including the health ministry and the civil affairs
commission in hope of getting a permit for the child’s mother to cross
Israeli controlled crossing into the West Bank.She affirmed that President
Mahmoud Abbas followed her story, and the private sector donated for the
child’s accommodation and needs.”We were with her from the first moment by
orders from the President. She is our daughter and we don’t need a reason
to make us look after her or just to raise her issue in the media, but we
dealt with the matter quickly,” said Ghannam.

International organizations have warned against the consequences of the
worsening humanitarian and public health conditions is the blockaded
coastal enclave.The World Health Organization (WHO) recently issued an
urgent appeal last week stating that the occupied Palestinian territories
are affected a protracted crisis and chronic humanitarian needs.There has
been a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Gaza which
impacts two million people and is life threatening for vulnerable patients,
due to the limited power sources, lack of waste management and the movement
restrictions. – XINHUA