13 May 2025
When 15-year-old Tala* asked her sister a simple, question – “What happens to those under the rubble?” – she never imagined she’d experience the answer just one hour later.
“I found myself trapped beneath a large wall, with only faint light and the sounds of distant noise. I tried to get up, but I couldn’t move,” she said. “I gathered what little strength I had left and cried out, ‘Help me!’ But no one could hear me. I repeated it over and over until someone finally did. As they started to pull me out from under the rubble, I lost consciousness.”
Tala was pulled from the wreckage of an Israeli military airstrike in Jabalia, northern Gaza in October 2023 – one of countless attacks over the past 19 months that have killed over 52,000 Palestinians, including more than 16,200 children, and injured more than 118,000. She was transferred to the Indonesian Hospital, in Beit Lahia, unable to see and critically injured.
“When I woke up, I tried to open my eyes but couldn’t see anything. I kept trying, but in vain,” she said. Her brother, faced with an unimaginable choice, had to prioritise which part of her body to try to save: “I can’t choose between her eyes and her leg – both are indispensable.” He chose her eyes. At the time, he was the only family member with Tala and the sole person able to make such a decision on her behalf.
“They rushed me into surgery. Though the chances of success were slim, thankfully the operation was successful,” said Tala. But, after her surgery, Tala woke up to more devastating news: “I began to regain my sight and saw my uncles and relatives [in the hospital], but not my mother or father. I froze as I was told my father and my brother Haitham were killed. Mum lost her left leg, and my little sister lost both.”
While undergoing treatment at the Indonesian Hospital, Tala witnessed the siege on the hospital by Israeli forces. “Only 130 people remained in the hospital. We had no food, water, or bread for days. The hospital was overcrowded, and there weren't any doctors,” she said. “There were snipers outside. The [Israeli military] tank suddenly bombed the gate, and soldiers stormed in with dogs and heavy equipment.”
With no functioning hospitals in North Gaza at the time, Tala was evacuated south in an ambulance convoy. Separated from her mother and youngest sister – who were both evacuated for medical treatment abroad – Tala continued her journey for medical care with only two of her sisters by her side, eventually reaching Deir al-Balah in central Gaza.
“When I went for a check-up, they discovered shrapnel still lodged in my leg. The doctor said it needed to be removed urgently. Without anaesthesia [because there was none], he cut into my leg to remove the shrapnel and stitched it up. The pain was unbearable.”
With a fractured pelvis and four breaks in her right leg, Tala endured months of surgeries using internal and external fixators – but she still couldn’t walk, nor could she access the physiotherapy she desperately needed.
“When they removed the internal fixation, I was terrified to take a step. I desperately wished to find someone who could help me with physiotherapy, but I couldn’t find anyone – until I heard about MAP.”
In October last year, Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) established its Solidarity Polyclinic in Deir al-Balah, an advanced medical point delivering emergency and primary healthcare, mental health support, nutrition, physiotherapy, wound care, and much more. Tala was referred to MAP’s polyclinic, where she began treatment under the care of physiotherapist Dr Nahla Musallam.
“Tala’s injuries were severe, and her leg-length discrepancy affected her posture and gait,” said Dr Nahla. “Using entirely manual techniques, we worked on strengthening her muscles and correcting her posture. Over 18 sessions, she regained her independence.”
Even with limited equipment – due to Israel’s tightened blockade on Gaza – Dr Nahla and her team made do with manual therapy. “She [Tala] began taking better care of herself, smiling and laughing more. Watching her regain independence and show signs of psychological recovery has been deeply rewarding. She’s a very different person from the girl who first began her recovery, though her journey is still ongoing.”
Tala, once fearful of standing, now walks on her own. “When I started [treatment] with MAP, I was on crutches and couldn’t put weight on my leg. I was unsure whether I should even try to step on it. There was no one to guide me. My dream was to walk again,” she said.
“When I was told that MAP offered physiotherapy, I came, and Dr Nahla was there – she was so kind and supportive. I began my sessions with her, and at first, the pain was unbearable. But with each session, I got better. Gradually, I let go of the crutches and started walking on my own. Alhamdulillah.”
MAP’s Solidarity Polyclinic is one of the few remaining lifelines in a healthcare system systematically dismantled by the Israeli military. Since October 2023, Israeli forces have killed 1,400 healthcare workers, only 22 out of 36 hospitals remain even partially operational, and equipment and supplies have been completely blocked from entering Gaza for more than two months.
“Our physiotherapy unit relies on manual methods because critical equipment is delayed or blocked. Despite these limitations, we never turn patients away. We adapt, educate families on at-home exercises, and provide the best care we can,” said Dr Nahla.
Despite constant attacks on healthcare workers and aid workers, and Israel’s total blockade on aid, MAP’s team in Gaza remains committed to delivering lifesaving medical assistance to Palestinians.
Tala’s journey is far from over. But it is proof of what is possible with care, commitment, and solidarity. Your support can help ensure other Palestinians are not left behind. Support our work today.
*Name changed to protect the identity of the person involved.
Photo: Dr Nahla Musallam, a physiotherapist, cares for a child at MAP’s Solidarity Polyclinic.
