Seven-year-old Mohammed Hijazi, a survivor of multiple Israeli airstrikes in northern Gaza, now faces a new battle: preserving his remaining vision after picking up an unexploded ordnance left by Israeli forces. The boy and his family had fled Jabalia for southern Gaza earlier this year, only to encounter another hidden danger of conflict.
In March, Mohammed unknowingly touched what appeared to be debris but turned out to be active explosive remnants. The detonation destroyed one eye completely and left the other at risk of atrophy. 'If Hamoud doesn't travel abroad very soon, he might lose his remaining eye,' his father told KhabarAsia, using the boy's nickname.
With Gaza's healthcare system decimated by ongoing conflict, the family races against time to secure rare medical evacuation permits. The case highlights the lasting human toll of explosive remnants in conflict zones, with UN data showing thousands of similar incidents reported annually worldwide.
