In brief
Raseel al‑Balawi, a six‑year‑old girl living in the al‑Mawasi camp of Gaza, is fighting for survival after an Israeli helicopter strike hit her tent in late July. The attack left her with severe wounds that have required more than twenty surgeries to prevent infections and save her life. Israeli officials deny any record of the strike, while the BBC’s Eye Investigations team has followed Raseel throughout the summer, documenting the desperate situation faced by Gaza’s children. Doctors in the region struggle with shortages of supplies and constantly resurgent threats of further bombardment. The BBC World Service’s film provides an intimate look at the daily challenges for families caught in the war.
Raseel al‑Balawi, a six‑year‑old girl who lives in the al‑Mawasi camp in Gaza, has endured more than twenty surgeries since a late‑July Israeli helicopter strike damaged her tent and left her with severe, infection‑prone wounds.
Witnesses say the strike hit the tent that housed Raseel and her family, causing widespread damage and forcing her into a life‑threatening health crisis. To this day, the little girl requires frequent operations to clear infections, cut necrotic tissue, and manage the fallout of the incident.
Israel’s military spokesperson has denied any record of the strike and issued a statement that it “regrets any harm to civilians.” Despite the statement, aid workers and doctors in Gaza report that the medical system is stretched to breaking point, with supplies depleting and new injuries arising as the conflict continues.
BBC Eye Investigations has spent several weeks documenting Raseel’s plight, walking alongside her and her caretakers to show the harsh reality that children in Gaza face under sustained bombardment. Their footage paints a sobering portrait of recurring injuries and the relentless challenge of maintaining basic medical care in an area with crumbling infrastructure.
The BBC World Service film, which follows Raseel from her first operation to her latest check‑up, is available in full on iPlayer for viewers who want to witness the ongoing struggle up close.
