Gaza Herald_Inside the operating room at Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, 12-year-old Nour lay on the surgical table awaiting a procedure that could change her life.
After years of living with severe vision impairment, she received a cornea transplant made possible by the donation of corneas from a deceased 16-year-old boy—a rare act of generosity that has given her a chance to see more clearly despite the immense challenges facing Gaza’s healthcare system.
The surgery, performed this week at Nasser Medical Complex, followed the decision of the family of Abdul Rahman Al-Sheikh Ahmad to donate their son’s corneas after his death.
A Rare Procedure Under Extraordinary Conditions
Dr. Osama Abu Al-Wafa, head of the Ophthalmology Department at Nasser Medical Complex and the European Gaza Hospital, said the operation was carried out under exceptionally difficult circumstances.
According to Abu Al-Wafa, it was the third cornea transplant performed this year and the eighth completed in Gaza during 2025 and 2026.
Medical teams continue to work with extremely limited resources, facing severe shortages of surgical sutures, medications, eye drops, and other essential supplies needed for specialized eye surgeries.
“Nour had already received a medical referral for treatment outside Gaza,” Abu Al-Wafa said. “But restrictions on patient travel through the Rafah crossing prevented her from leaving for surgery.”
The donated cornea made it possible to perform the transplant inside Gaza, offering a young patient the opportunity to regain her sight without leaving the territory.
He added that the availability of donated corneas remains one of the greatest challenges facing patients in need of vision-restoring surgery.
Years of Waiting
Nour’s mother, Sawsan Amer, said her daughter had suffered from poor vision in her left eye since infancy.
The family had hoped she could receive treatment abroad, but repeated restrictions on medical travel left her waiting for years as her condition persisted.
“The war and repeated displacement made everything even more difficult,” Amer said. “Access to specialized medical care became almost impossible.”
She described the successful operation as a moment of renewed hope for her family and expressed gratitude to the family that chose to donate their son’s corneas during a time of profound loss.
A Legacy That Lives On
The donor, 16-year-old Abdul Rahman Al-Sheikh Ahmad, died after falling into a pit his family had been digging near their tent north of Khan Younis.
Following his death, his family decided to donate both of his corneas so that others might regain their vision.
Their decision has already transformed lives, allowing part of Abdul Rahman’s legacy to continue through others.
The donation marks the third cornea donation recorded at Nasser Medical Complex this year. Since October 2023, eight donated corneas have been used for transplant procedures in Gaza.
The surgeries come at a time when Gaza’s healthcare system continues to face severe shortages of medical supplies while treating more than 10,000 eye injuries linked to the ongoing war.
In a place where medical referrals are often delayed, crossings remain restricted, and specialized resources are scarce, each donated cornea represents far more than a medical procedure.
For children like Nour, it is the chance to experience the world with renewed sight.
For the family of Abdul Rahman, it is a way for their son’s compassion to live on, offering hope to others even after his death.
