Gaza War 2023: Why do those Gaza toddlers and babies shake like that? “Warning : Extreme Graphic”

In recent days, I've lost count of the distressing scenes I've witnessed in Gaza—lifeless bodies of children and women.

The countless instances of injured women and children have become a daily, agonizing ritual.

It's a heart-wrenching reality, and you can never become desensitized to it, given the relentless stream of horrifying images that flood in hour by hour.

Baby girl holding on it her father with all force in Gaza after 
surviving an Israeli  airstrike 

However, certain videos have left me utterly shaken.

They depict heart-wrenching and shocking moments involving children, toddlers, and babies, unlike anything I've seen before, whether in this conflict or any other war."

Again warning: Extreme graphic material

This is Mohamed, who woke up amidst an airstrike You can clearly see the fear and trembling that had overcome him. Mohamed is a survivor of that massacre that took place at the Baptist Al-Ahli Al-Arabi hospital on Tuesday.

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A post shared by عبدالله العطار (@abdallah_alattar1999)

The footage was captured by photojournalist Abdallah Al-Attar. For your information, the doctor who tried to comfort the frightened boy was a student at Mansoura University in the Nile Delta.

Mohamed’s scared big black eyes will haunt you. This clip went viral now that illustrators in the Arab world began to draw him as a figure representing the children of Gaza in this war.

 

"I Was Asleep" by Menna Abdel Moneim

Egyptian digital artist Aya Abbas created this illustrator featuring Mohamed and his famous two words in Arabic "I was asleep" 

"I Was Asleep" by Aya Abbas 

This girl was trembling while receiving treatment and calling out for her mother.

We’re so sorry habibty
I wish I could hold her. She’s my daughters age

Save Palestine pic.twitter.com/in34nZZcA8

— Aya Hijazi آية حجازي (@_AyaHijazi_) October 18, 2023

This is undeniably one of the most shocking videos I've come across in the ongoing Arab/Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

عمرها 4 أشهر يا عالم!!

الاحتلال الفاشي الجبان يستعرض بالأسلحة الأمريكية الفتاكة على أجساد أطفالنا !!!#Gaza_Genocide #Gazagenocide pic.twitter.com/L8WzahCjMW

— رضوان الأخرس (@rdooan) October 18, 2023

The question that naturally arises is whether this is the result of a new type of ammunition or bomb that Israel has introduced into the conflict, or if it's a manifestation of the shock and devastation that has become alarmingly 'normal.'

What kind of shock could possibly cause a 4-month-old baby to be subjected to such violence? The use of the term 'normal' itself feels out of place, as none of this can be described as normal.

As of the 12th day of the war, here are the latest numbers from Gaza.

These are the most recent statistics from Gaza on the 12th day of the conflict. According to health officials in Gaza, 3,478 people, including 600 children, have tragically lost their lives, and 12,065 have been injured.

Additionally, an estimated 1,300 people remain missing or presumed to be buried under the rubble of residential buildings. These individuals have not yet been included in the official death toll.

Regrettably, 400 families have been entirely wiped out, and 400 families have seen their entire bloodlines extinguished since the conflict began on October 7th.

 Astonishingly, 64% of the victims are women and children.

The situation has also severely impacted access to food.

Nineteen out of the 23 bakeries contracted by the UN World Food Programme are no longer operational due to fuel shortages during these 12 days.

Only four remain in operation.

In the most recent days, Israeli shelling has put three major bakeries out of service from October 16th to October 18th.

Gaza's Al-Nuseirat Bakery was destroyed by
Israeli army earlier Wednesday

From October 7th to the 10th, the World Health Organization (WHO) recorded the tragic loss of 16 health workers and the injury of 28 others while on duty.

Furthermore, 23 ambulances have been damaged, and 26 health facilities have been affected.

On the other side of the conflict, Israel has also faced significant losses. As of October 7th, their death toll has reached 1,400 people, with an additional 232 bodies yet to be identified.

It's important to note that if Israel, backed by Western support, believes it can eradicate Hamas and eliminate it entirely, it may have opposite consequences.

From Cairo, I can say that such actions will sow the seeds of a hundred other, potentially more Hamas-like groups in the midst of this conflict.