Never give up - one Gaza boy's story trying to survive in Gaza

Summary

Consider This from NPR: "Never Give Up - One Gaza Boy's Story Trying to Survive in Gaza"

Release Date: March 16, 2025

In this poignant episode of NPR's "Consider This," host Rob Schmitz delves deep into the harrowing realities faced by children in Gaza amidst the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Focusing on the story of Nimr Saadi Al Nimr, an 11-year-old boy who has endured unimaginable suffering, the episode paints a vivid picture of resilience and the profound impacts of war on the youngest members of society.

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Introduction: The Toll on Gaza's Children

Rob Schmitz opens the episode by highlighting the devastating statistics of the conflict's impact on children. Citing United Nations estimates, he states:

"Nearly 40,000. That's the United Nations estimate for the number of children who have been killed or injured since Israel began its war with Hamas some 18 months ago." (00:00)

This alarming figure sets the stage for the personal stories that follow, emphasizing the human cost behind the numbers.

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Witnessing the Aftermath: Insights from a Pediatrician

The narrative introduces Dr. Seema Jelani, a pediatrician who volunteered in Gaza's emergency rooms. Through her voice memos captured in late 2023, Dr. Jelani provides a frontline perspective:

"I've seen a lot and I never compare conflicts, but that's got to be the most nightmarish thing I've ever seen and the most one of the most inhumane and cruel things I'll ever see." (00:11)

Describing the scene of an 11-year-old girl severely burned in an explosion, she poignantly captures the depth of suffering:

"To look at her was an infinite waterfall of pain coming out from her. It's the stuff of nightmares." (00:39)

Dr. Jelani reflects on her role as a pediatrician in a war zone, revealing the unexpected magnitude of child casualties:

"On one day in our code room, in our code resuscitation room, out of our five patients, four were children. And I'm very sad and deeply disturbed to say that I was very useful as a pediatrician in a war zone. And that should never be the case." (00:57)

Her insights underscore the overwhelming burden placed on healthcare professionals in conflict areas and the tragic reversal of expectations regarding victims.

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Nimr's Journey: Surviving Against the Odds

Transitioning to a more personal narrative, Rob Schmitz recounts the story of Nimr Saadi Al Nimr, an 11-year-old boy who was severely injured by the Israeli military while collecting food. Dropped by parachute outside Gaza City, Nimr was taken to Israel, where doctors performed life-saving surgeries before returning him to the Rafah refugee camp.

A year later, NPR's Gaza producer Anas Bhabha reconnects with Nimr, now 12, who continues to battle the physical and emotional scars of war:

"Nimr now he's in Al Barage camp, central Gaza at his grandmother's house and has finally reunited with his mother and his family. He's suffering. He wears a knee brace and drags his right leg, unable to control it. After nerve damage, he cannot stand for long periods. But he's alive and that's a miracle by itself." (04:50)

Despite multiple surgeries to remove bullets from his body, Nimr experiences constant pain:

"After he had a surgical procedure to deaden his nerve endings, he still cannot run. He cannot play soccer or even walk very far... it often makes him cry." (05:12)

Nimr's resilience is evident as he recounts surviving an airstrike at a field hospital and enduring twelve relocations to evade missile attacks:

"Despite his injuries, Nimr endured the horrors of being trapped in a field hospital in Rafah... he spent a month under the immense danger... they moved to a house where an Israeli hostage extract mission took place, killing 250 persons, just to extract three Israeli hostages." (06:23)

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Reuniting with Family: A Bittersweet Victory

The emotional reunion between Nimr and his family is a powerful moment in the episode. After a grueling eight-mile walk carried on his uncle's ankle, Nimr finally meets his mother, father, and siblings:

"The joy he felt when he saw his mother, father and family again was beyond words. He says everyone was crying and he hugged his mother tightly, not letting go. His entire extended family was there too." (08:33)

However, the aftermath of media exposure leads to unexpected consequences. Nimr's family faces a devastating loss when their house is bombed:

"The family blamed Nimr and his mother because Nimr took to the news. We didn't have any confirmation that that was the purpose of the target... even the families themselves turn around on each other because everyone wants to live." (09:05)

This tragic turn highlights the perilous environment in Gaza, where media interactions can inadvertently put families at risk.

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The Shadow of Media and Perceived Threats

The episode delves into the complex relationship between journalism and safety in conflict zones. Nimr expresses the community's growing fear of media engagement:

"We didn't have any confirmation that that was the purpose of the target... So every single person in Gaza was always being aware about his own life." (10:10)

With over 160 journalists killed during the war, the perception that media presence equates to tangible threats is pervasive:

"Even talking to the media outlets here in Gaza started to be spreading between people here that, no, I don't want to be photographed. I don't want to like saying any word outside to the media because I may just like put myself in danger." (11:16)

This fear complicates efforts to document and report the realities on the ground, as trust erodes amidst violence and suspicion.

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Reflections on the Future: A Bleak Outlook

As the episode concludes, Nimr shares his somber perspective on the future:

"The children like Nimr and Nimr himself are going to face a future that's totally dark... the new generation that's going to come here that also wants revenge and not believing in peace as they should be." (13:07)

His sentiments encapsulate the cyclical nature of violence and the profound psychological scars inflicted on the youth of Gaza.

Nimr's longing for normalcy is palpable as he speaks about his disrupted education and missed social interactions:

"I miss school so much. I miss my friends. I miss learning. I miss writing. I just want to see my friends again and play with them again. But the war continues. What can we do?" (13:31)

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Conclusion: The Human Cost of Conflict

Through Nimr's story, NPR's "Consider This" episode sheds light on the personal tragedies woven into the larger tapestry of war. From lost education and shattered families to the psychological toll on young minds, the narrative serves as a stark reminder of the enduring impact of conflict on civilians, especially children. The episode calls listeners to reflect on the resilience of individuals like Nimr and the urgent need for pathways to peace and recovery in war-torn regions.

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Produced by: Kira Wakim, Erica Ryan, and Anas Bhabha
Edited by: Adam Rainey, James Heider, and Courtney Dorney
Executive Producer: Sammy Yeniken

For more stories like Nimr's and to support independent journalism, visit plus.npr.org/considerthis.

Transcript

[Rob Schmitz]

Nearly 40,000. That's the United nations estimate for the number of children who have been killed or injured since Israel began its war with Hamas some 18 months ago.

[Seema Jelani]

I've seen a lot and I never compare conflicts, but that's got to be the most nightmarish thing I've ever seen and the most one of the most inhumane and cruel things I'll ever see.

[Rob Schmitz]

That's pediatrician Seema Jelani. In a voice memo she recorded while volunteering in an emergency room of a Gaza hospital in late 2023, she was talking about an 11 year old girl burned in an explosion.

[Seema Jelani]

To look at her was an infinite waterfall of pain coming out from her. It's the stuff of nightmares.

[Rob Schmitz]

Shortly after Dr. Jelani left Gaza, she spoke to NPR's Ari Shapiro about what it felt like to be a pediatrician, a war zone.

[Seema Jelani]

You know, as a pediatrician, I didn't think I would be very useful because this is war. And in war I would imagine and think that the victims or this or the war wounded or the killed would be predominantly young men. I can say that on one day in our code room, in our code resuscitation room, out of our five patients, four were children. And I'm very sad and deeply disturbed to say that I was very useful as a pediatrician in a war zone. And that should never be the case.

[Rob Schmitz]

Consider this. Gaza's children have been on the front lines of the war between Israel and Hamas. They have been killed, they have been injured, and their society has disintegrated under the weight of the conflict. Coming up, we hear from one young boy trying to recover from his wounds and find a way forward. From npr, I'm Rob Schmitz.

[Anas Bhabha]

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[Rob Schmitz]

It's Consider this from NPR. A year ago, NPR Gaza producer Anas Bhabha and I reported a story about Nimr Saadi Al NIMR and an 11 year old boy who had been shot five times by the Israeli military while he and his father were gathering food. Dropped by parachute outside Gaza City, Israeli soldiers took Nimr across the border into Israel where doctors performed two surgeries on him, saving his life before returning Nimr to a refugee camp in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. That's where Anas Baba found Nimr a year ago. He was in a makeshift tent with his grandmother and uncle, crying out in pain from his wounds. As you can hear in our report From April of 2024, Nimmer is in pain. It comes in waves. He's just had surgery on his stomach, back, legs and hand to remove bullets. Each left long incision wounds lined with stitches and dried pus. Flies are drawn to them. When he takes too deep of a breath, his skinny frame convulses uncontrollably, like an electric shock shooting through him. He he cries out for drugs that will numb the pain, but there are none here. After this story aired a year ago, we lost track of Nimur. We didn't know if he was alive or dead. But this past week Anas Baba found Nimr, who is now 12, thankfully alive but still suffering from his wounds and the toll of the war in Gaza. Anas joins me now from Gaza. Hello Anas, how are you?

[Nimr Saadi Al NIMR]

Hello Rob.

[Rob Schmitz]

Anas, I want you to tell me about Nimr. Where is he now and how is he doing?

[Nimr Saadi Al NIMR]

Nimir now he's in Al Barage camp, central Gaza at his grandmother's house and has finally reunited with his mother and his family. He's suffering. He wears a knee brace and drags his right leg, unable to control it. After nerve damage, he cannot stand for long periods. But he's alive and that's a miracle by itself.

[Rob Schmitz]

Yeah, that is a miracle given what Gaza has gone through in this past year. Here's a portion of your interview with Nimr about the lasting impact of his gunshot wounds a year ago and Nimr is telling you here that after he had a surgical procedure to deaden his nerve endings, he still cannot run. He Cannot play soccer or even walk very far. He says he still has an electric shock feeling when he accidentally bumps and that it often makes him cry. He's saying here that he mostly stays inside. When he does go outside, he says he sees his friends playing and running and he feels jealous. He says, I'm afraid they'll make fun of me for not being able to run. Anas, that is really sad to hear that. I remember Nimmer's favorite sport is soccer. I remember Lionel Messi is his hero, so this must be particularly tough on him. It's been a year since you last saw Nimr, and I understand that he's been in and out of makeshift field hospitals there in Gaza, constantly on the move, trying to evade Israeli missile attacks. How did he manage to survive the past year?

[Nimr Saadi Al NIMR]

So despite his injuries, Nimr endured the horrors of being trapped in a field hospital in Rafah. At that time, there was an ongoing Israeli military operation and that poor child, he witnessed an airstrike at the gate of the hospital itself, and he spent a month under the immense danger. And afterwards, Nimir and Zakaria, his uncle, finally managed to leave the field hospital. Okay. And they began the journey of displacement, which took them 12 times from a place to another. They moved to a house where an Israeli hostage extract mission took place, killing 250 person, just to extract three Israeli hostages. And afterward they moved to a tent. And finally they returned to Gaza City and settled at their own grandmother house.

[Rob Schmitz]

Anas, did you just say that he was at a house where a hostage extraction took place by the Israeli military?

[Nimr Saadi Al NIMR]

Yes. Once he evacuated from Rafah, they rented a house in an Zayrat camp, okay. Next to the extraction operation mission for the Israelis to extract three Israeli hostages.

[Rob Schmitz]

My gosh and honest, we should mention here, the Israeli Defense Forces maintained at the time that less than 100 Gazans were killed in its hostage extraction operation. And he. He saw that and. And he managed to survive that.

[Nimr Saadi Al NIMR]

He managed to survive that with his uncle? Yes.

[Rob Schmitz]

I'm reminded here that when you found Nimr last year in that refugee tent in Rafah, he hadn't seen his parents since he was shot and nearly killed. Tell me about how he was able to be reunited with them.

[Nimr Saadi Al NIMR]

For such a child, okay. Returning to Gaza is a miracle. He needs someone to carry him all the way because there was no route for cars at that time. Every single person who wants to return to Gaza City means that you need to walk at least for eight miles. So a healthy, grown up man, okay. Will feel tired okay, just imagine a child that he's, after one year of being shot from the Israelis, is going to take that journey. You told me that he like asked his own uncle to carry him all the way. And he was carried on his uncle, like on his ankle, back or all the way to find out that his own like mother, father and the siblings are waiting for him at the other end.

[Rob Schmitz]

So, Anas, let's go to your interview with Nimir about the moment he was reunited with his family. And Nimir is saying here that the joy he felt when he saw his mother, father and family again was beyond words. He says everyone was crying and he hugged his mother tightly, not letting go. His entire extended family was there too. Here's where Nimr's story takes a bit of a turn. Anas, you've learned that Nimr's parents have since divorced. Tell me about that.

[Nimr Saadi Al NIMR]

Yes, unfortunately, Rob, this war, despite all of the killing, 46,000 people who got killed, it's also affected the social fabric of Gaza, okay? The unemployment at the same time, the war, the displacement, living in tents made the parenthood is a little bit like, hard. Especially that you say as a parent, just like imagining the, the suffer that Nimir went through. So, you know, after 16 months, there was one problem that after three months of Nima being pushed away to the south, we talked to him and other media outlets took to him. And after three months, his own family house got bombed by the Israelis and the family blamed Nur and his mama because Nima took to the news.

[Rob Schmitz]

So what you're saying here is that his family was saying, look, we were targeted because Namur, you spoke to the media, including our outlet, npr, and that was their belief of what happened, that they were targeted for this. Is that, is that what you're saying?

[Nimr Saadi Al NIMR]

Yes, that's correct. We didn't have any, like, let's say we didn't have any confirmation that that was the, the, like the purpose of the target. But at that time of war, okay, even the families themselves turn around on each other because everyone wants to live. Rob, me, myself, I was a journalist and 160 journalists got killed during this war. And I was prevented from renting a house or even parking in front of any other family house because they were seeing me as a moving missile, that the Israelis gonna kill them. So every single person in Gaza was always being aware about his own life.

[Rob Schmitz]

Wow, Anas, we should mention here, the human rights organization Mazan confirmed the details of this attack on the residents of the Nimr family. In a text to npr, the Israel Defense Forces wrote, quote, the IDF follow international law and takes feasible precautions to mitigate civilian harm. Anas, I think this illuminates at least the perception among people in Gaza, whether true or not, that media coverage can endanger the lives of citizens and it can lead to stress for families after family members speak to journalists, as we've seen in Nimr's case.

[Nimr Saadi Al NIMR]

Yes, that's totally correct. And even talking to the media outlets here in Gaza started to be spreading between people here that, no, I don't want to be photographed. I don't want to be like saying any word outside to the media because I may just like put myself in danger.

[Rob Schmitz]

Anas, were people hurt or killed in that attack on the Nimr residents?

[Nimr Saadi Al NIMR]

Unfortunately, yes. We do have four capabilities. Three of them are women and one of them is Nimir grandfather himself.

[Rob Schmitz]

Wow. You know, there are many lessons that we can all learn from Nimir's story. You asked Nimr what lessons about life he's learned from the past year of trying to survive in Gaza, and here's what he said. I learned, said Nimr, that extreme hunger makes people do things they never thought they would ever do. Nimr says he, for example, ran to a very dangerous place just to find food. He says another lesson he's learned is that even if they shoot at us, whether we're young or old, we should never give up. Anas, you also asked Nimr about his future, his dreams, and if he sees a future for Gaza and his answer was darker. And Nimr's saying here there is no future. Gaza will never have a future. He goes on to say that he has dreams just like everyone else, but that the Israeli military has destroyed all of their dreams. He says nobody in his family has been untouched by this war. Anas, I think it's worth reminding our listeners that we are listening to the words of a 12 year old child. What's going to happen to children like Nimr in the future?

[Nimr Saadi Al NIMR]

The children like Nimr and Nimr himself are going to face the future that's totally dark. We can say that they witnessed multiple shades of war, which is the hunger and at the same time displacement and the killing for most of the population here. We're talking about the new generation that's going to come here that also wants to revenge and not believing in peace as they should be.

[Rob Schmitz]

The last thing I wanted to ask you, Anas, you know, because Nimr is still a child, I wanted you to ask him about his thoughts on school. You know, Nimmer has not been to school since October of 2023. Here's what he told you, and he's saying here I miss school so much. I miss my friends. I miss learning. I miss writing. I just want to see my friends again and play with them again. But the war continues. What, he asks, can we do? Anas, I want to thank you for all of your reporting from Gaza. You've brought us so many stories like this one, and they're very, very important for all of us to hear. Thank you, Anas.

[Nimr Saadi Al NIMR]

Thank you, Rob.

[Rob Schmitz]

That's NPR Gaza producer Anas Bhabha, joining us from Gaza. This episode was produced by Kira Wakim, Erica Ryan and Anas Baba. It was edited by Adam Rainey, James Heider and Courtney Dorney. Our executive producer is Sammy Yeniken. It's consider this from npr. I'm Rob Schmitz.

[Anas Bhabha]

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