Gaza Herald – Eight-year-old Rahab Matar never imagined that a brief outing with her friends would change her life forever. On a day when she went searching for a rare moment of joy amid the war, she returned to the hospital unable to walk after an Israeli missile strike turned her playground into a scene of devastation, bloodshed, and rubble.
From the Swings to a Hospital Bed
Rahab was spending time with her friends at Gaza Municipality Park, trying to enjoy her childhood like children everywhere. Those precious moments ended abruptly when an Israeli missile struck the area, scattering shrapnel throughout her body and leaving her paralyzed, unable to walk ever since.
Speaking in a soft voice weighed down by sadness, Rahab says: “I loved school, my friends, playing football, drawing, and riding the swings. Now I’m paralyzed, and all I wish for is to walk on my own legs again.”
Covered in Blood
At the moment of the explosion, her father, Mahmoud Matar, heard the blast and rushed toward the scene, terrified that one of his children might be among the victims.
“When I arrived, I found Rahab covered in blood,” he recalls. “I carried her immediately to Al-Ahli Hospital. My whole body was shaking with fear. I was crying as I looked at my daughter in that condition, wishing the injury had happened to me instead of her.”
Since that day, the family’s life has become a long journey of anxiety and helplessness as Rahab spends her days between pain and uncertainty.
Searching for a Chance at Treatment
Today, her father asks for only one thing: an opportunity that might restore part of what his daughter has lost. He appeals to humanitarian organizations and relevant authorities to help secure medical treatment for her outside Gaza.
“My dream is to see my daughter standing on her feet again,” he says. “I hope any organization that can help will assist in arranging treatment abroad. She is just an innocent child. Even when her condition worsened recently, we could not find a hospital able to receive her because of the severity of her injuries and her need for specialized medical care.”
A Dream Fading Away
Rahab’s mother, Dalia Matar, still struggles to accept the dramatic change in her daughter’s life.
“Rahab loved walking and playing,” she says. “She dreamed of becoming a doctor one day. Now she cannot even stand. My heart breaks every time I look at her.”
According to her mother, the injury not only took away Rahab’s ability to move but also left deep emotional scars, depriving her of the simple joys that define childhood.
Parks Have Become a Symbol of Fear
Every holiday, Rahab used to look forward to visiting parks and riding the swings. Since her injury, those places have become associated with fear and trauma.
“Rahab now connects parks with missiles,” her mother explains. “She used to love going there and playing. Today, she longs to play with her friends again, but she cannot.”
Holding back tears, she adds: “She used to help me with everything. She was my right hand. Now I watch her suffer every day, and I feel powerless to help her. There is no harder feeling for a mother.”
As Rahab waits for a chance at treatment that could help her stand again, her dream remains heartbreakingly simple. She repeats the same wish over and over:
“I just want to walk again.”
