NDTV Exclusive: How Teen Gazan With Down Syndrome Survived Israeli Bombs

Ibrahim Hammad, a 16-year-old boy with Down syndrome, lived in Al-Zahra City in the middle of Gaza with his family of seven: parents, four older brothers, and himself. His parents, both professors at Al-Aqsa University, dedicated their lives to teaching, while one of his brothers, Hosam Abedalqader Hammad, pursued a bachelor's degree in nursing. Life, though far from idyllic in the besieged Palestinian territory, was at least structured and predictable.

The Hammads had moved to Al-Zahra from northern Gaza. To accommodate their large family, they built a three-story building, spending a huge portion of their savings on a home they could call theirs. Then, October 7 happened. The Palestinian group Hamas attacked Israel and the offensive that followed decimated Gaza.

A Family Displaced 

The Hammads' recently constructed house, like so much else in Gaza, has been reduced to rubble.

"When the war started, we were unable to move or go anywhere. Every place became dangerous - there is no safe space in Gaza, not even in schools or hospitals," Hosam Hammad told NDTV. 

Caught in the crossfire, their neighbourhood became a target, and the family's house was obliterated. Forced to evacuate under the constant threat of airstrikes, they sought refuge in a series of temporary shelters, moving five times in total. These included relatives' homes and eventually the university where Ibrahim and Hossam's parents worked. Yet even these sanctuaries were fleeting. 

"Everyone in my house was at their jobs, the university, or studying at school. Even Ibrahim was preparing to go to school," Hosam said. "But Israeli tanks surrounded the university and started bombarding it," Hosam recalls, describing how they evacuated under direct fire. 

Life in displacement camps presented its own set of challenges. The family, like many others, had to fend for themselves. Food, water, and electricity were scarce. They resorted to cutting down trees in the university's garden to create firewood for cooking. 

"We received only one supply from UNRWA, but most of the food we had to buy ourselves. We had to cut down trees because there was no electricity or gas for cooking. The university had a large garden, and we cut some trees so we could cook. We didn't have many clothes or mattresses to sleep on since we moved many times. It was hard to carry many belongings because they didn't give us time or warnings to move. The Israeli army would start bombing the area, and if you needed to evacuate, you had to move under fire," Hosam told NDTV.

Surviving War With Down Syndrome

The challenge for the Hammads was not just surviving. It was surviving with a member of the family with Down syndrome. For Ibrahim, life was difficult anyway. Caring for Ibrahim, who is highly sensitive to loud noises, became a monumental task. The destruction of their city, including the annihilation of 29 buildings near their home in a single night, left him traumatised. His panic attacks grew so severe that the family had to administer medication multiple times to calm him.

Ibrahim is extremely sensitive to loud noises. The constant bombing of Gaza has just made things worse for him.

"He also struggled emotionally when our uncle and his son died, and we lost 20 family members in total. Even now, he has nightmares every day," Hosam said. 

Hosam estimates that the family needed $100-150 daily just to secure basic food and water. Amid this deprivation, Ibrahim's health began to deteriorate rapidly. He lost 15 kilograms and struggled with frequent panic attacks, exacerbated by the constant bombings.

According to Dr Rahul Nagpal, a pediatric specialist at Delhi's Fortis Hospital, children with Down syndrome often face developmental delays, cognitive impairments, and heightened susceptibility to health issues. These challenges are magnified in conflict zones, where access to medical care is limited.

"Children with Down syndrome may develop at a slower pace than typically developing children. They may require extra support and therapy to develop language, social skills, and motor skills. This can be challenging for parents and caregivers, as it may require significant time and resources to provide the necessary support," Dr Nagpal told NDTV. 

Before the war, the Hammads had enrolled Ibrahim in a private school and hired tutors to improve his language and speech.

"We take care of him as much as we can because there are no hospitals or doctors available to check on him," Hosam said. 

The camps where the family sought refuge were fraught with danger. Bombings occurred even near shelters, and the smell of death in the air was constant. 

"There was bombing all around us," Hosam recounted. The family often heard the desperate cries of those who ran out of food and water entirely. Aid was sporadic. An Oxfam report revealed that humanitarian aid deliveries were frequently obstructed or delayed by Israeli authorities, leaving thousands without relief.

One chilling account involves a convoy of 11 trucks in November. Initially held up by Israeli forces, some of the food was taken by starving civilians before the trucks were later diverted to a militarised zone inaccessible to those in need. 

A Fragile Respite In Egypt

As Israel continued to pound Gaza, the Hammads took cover by moving from one camp to another. The only way to escape Gaza was through the Rafah border in the south. But crossing over has never been easy, despite Rafah being the only crossing in Gaza that is not under Israeli control. By March this year, the family managed to escape to Egypt with nothing but the clothes on their backs. 

"Some Egyptian friends helped us find a temporary house, but life here is very expensive," Hosam told NDTV. "We evacuated just before the Israeli army took control and closed the border with Egypt. We are renting a house here, but life in Egypt is very expensive. We need $500 just for rent, in addition to our daily expenses, which are high since we don't have residency in Egypt."

While one of Ibrahim's brothers has enrolled in medical school, the rest of the family struggles to rebuild their lives. They remain in legal limbo, unable to work without residency permits. Yet, their resolve to return to Gaza once the war ends remains steadfast. "We lost everything - our house, which cost over $200,000, and our car, worth $14,000. But we will rebuild," Hosam declared.

Since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, which claimed over 1,200 Israeli lives, Gaza has borne the brunt of a devastating retaliatory offensive. An estimated 45,000 people have died, mostly civilians. International organizations like Oxfam and Human Rights Watch have accused Israel of systematically depriving Gazans of water and other necessities.