Gaza Herald _A piece of Israeli shrapnel that struck five-year-old Reem Hassan al-Sultan on July 1, 2025, changed her life forever. The shrapnel pierced her neck, damaged her spinal cord, and left her with quadriplegia and other serious injuries that have kept her confined to a bed ever since.
Reem was staying with her family in a tent in the al-Mawasi area west of Khan Younis when Israeli forces targeted nearby tents. A fragment struck Reem, entering through her neck and exiting through her left shoulder before damaging her spinal cord. She also suffered a fractured shoulder blade and a lung contusion that caused a severe drop in oxygen levels.
Her condition deteriorated after the injury, requiring several days in intensive care. She struggled to breathe and suffered critically low oxygen levels before her condition eventually stabilized. Despite that improvement, Reem was left paralyzed and unable to move, while also losing control of her bladder and bowels.
Today, Reem spends her days lying in a tent, struggling with the lasting physical and psychological effects of her injuries.
“Her life changed completely after the injury,” her mother said, explaining that doctors told the family Reem needs specialized treatment outside Gaza, including a complex spinal cord operation as well as specialized neurological care and medication that are not adequately available inside the besieged territory.
Her physical injuries are not the only burden weighing on the young child. Gaza’s harsh humanitarian conditions, including periods of hunger and extreme heat, have compounded her suffering.
During periods when food was scarce, Reem would bite her own hand, a behavior her family associated with her inability to communicate her needs, as well as the distress and discomfort she has experienced since the injury. The behavior became so severe that the bones in her hand became visible.
Her family would gently pull her hand away from her mouth and provide whatever food was available. The behavior became less frequent as access to food improved somewhat.
The extreme heat brought another challenge. Reem’s mother said the family moved their tent closer to the sea during the hottest days in an attempt to find cooler air and provide the child with some relief, given her need for constant care and rest.
Reem’s mother said her daughter continues to struggle psychologically and lives with persistent fear. The family does everything possible to comfort her, encourage her, and remind her that she is not alone.
But the most painful part for her mother is hearing Reem repeatedly ask when she will be able to walk and play again.
“I want to walk,” Reem tells her family, words that leave her mother struggling to respond.
“Every day my heart breaks when I see my child who used to walk, and now her words overwhelm me: ‘I want to walk, play and sit,’ and I can’t do anything,” her mother said.
Before the injury, Reem was a young child who dreamed of playing, running, and moving freely. Today, she depends on others for even the most basic aspects of daily life, while her family grows increasingly concerned about her condition as Gaza’s healthcare and humanitarian crisis continues.
According to her mother, Reem has received a medical referral for treatment outside Gaza, but the family has been waiting for her evacuation ever since. They are calling for her travel arrangements to be expedited before her condition worsens.
“The situation is extremely difficult. The doctors told us she needs treatment abroad,” her mother said. “I am asking everyone who can help save her to extend a helping hand and help her as soon as possible.”
For Reem, the dream is painfully simple: to stand on her own feet, walk again, and reclaim the childhood that was taken from her.
