After being shot by an Israeli sniper on June 27, a 15-year-old Palestinian boy was detained by Israeli soldiers and then neglected by Israeli doctors, leading to a necessary amputation of his infected leg.
According to a report published on Mondoweiss website, Adam Salem was shot in his right leg when he was attending a peaceful demonstration near the Israeli border. Israeli soldiers then seized the young man and carried him to the Israeli side.
After his injuries proved serious, Salem was taken to Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon where he was neglected by the medical staff and denied proper medical treatment, according to Salem.
Soon after being admitted, hospital staff stopped giving him food and medicine, and doctors stopped visits altogether after two weeks, Salem said in an interview with Mondoweiss.
"I would ask the soldiers to bring the doctors, but they refused," he said.
According to Salem, he was also abused both physically and mentally during his stay at the hospital.
"I would ask the soldiers to bring me food. They would bring the food, put it up to the edge of my mouth, and then take it away," he said, adding: "Every day was like this."
Israeli soldiers would also occasionally stomp on his legs or release a bad smelling spray after closing the windows, he explained.
After being denied all visitors, including his parents, and threatened by soldiers, Salem says he began to think he would spend the rest of his life in an Israeli prison.
On July 11, Israeli forces decided to discharge Salem and sent him to the Palestinian side. Thinking he would be alright after his release, the boy was shocked to find his wound had developed raging infection.
After being taken to Al-Shifa hospital, doctors decided to amputate the young man's leg as he developed gangrene due to lack of proper treatment.
Salem is now home trying to adapt to his new condition and struggles to leave all the horrors he endured behind.
"Every time I walk, I remember the soldiers. They don't leave my mind, when they shot me and tortured me," he said.