Palestinian girl wounded in Israeli attack to be treated in Türkiye
Wounded Palestinian girl Rahaf Salman, 11, who lost her limbs after an Israeli strike, looks on as she lies on a hospital bed, as cease-fire holds, in the northern Gaza Strip Aug. 9, 2022. (Reuters Photo)


An 11-year-old Palestinian girl, who was injured in recent Israeli attacks targeting Gaza, will receive treatment in Türkiye.

On Tuesday, the Palestinian group Hamas announced that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan agreed to receive Rahaf Salman for treatment in Türkiye.

"The Turkish president graciously agreed to receive injured girl, Rahaf Salman, and her family for treatment in Türkiye," Hamas said in a statement.

According to Hamas, Rahaf Salman appealed on Monday for help to transfer her to Türkiye for treatment.

An Egypt-brokered cease-fire came into force last Sunday to end three days of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza and retaliatory rocket fire.

The Israeli offensive left at least 45 Palestinians dead and injured over 360 others, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

The girl's mother, Manal Salman, told Anadolu Agency that Rahaf Salman and her 13-year-old brother, Mohamed Salman, were "injured Saturday by an Israeli rocket that landed in Jabalia, in the northern Gaza Strip."

Manal Salman also said the girl's feet and right hand had to be amputated.

Wounded Palestinian girl Rahaf Salman, 11, who lost her limbs after an Israeli strike, looks on as she lies on a hospital bed, as cease-fire holds, in the northern Gaza Strip Aug. 9, 2022. (Reuters Photo)

She also suffered an abdominal injury, broke a collarbone and dislocated her shoulder. She also complains of eye problems.

Her brother was injured by shrapnel in the pelvis and chest. He also broke a knee and suffered a hand injury as well, the mother said.

The treatment in Türkiye, the mother said, will help Rahaf Salman become self-reliant through prosthetic limbs.

Life-changing moment

The girl went to look for her brother on Saturday evening to tell him the family will eat dinner together, the mother said.

The family decided to gather for dinner to ease the anxiety caused by the Israeli attacks.

"We heard the sound of an explosion very close to our home," the mother said, adding that she rushed to the blast site.

She saw her son bleeding, but could not locate her daughter.

Over the course of two hours, family members searched for Rahaf Salman.

Little did the parents know, their daughter was rushed to the hospital by bystanders.

My husband "searched for her in the hospital and could not recognize her due to the terrible injury that she suffered," she said.

Upon arriving at the hospital, Rahaf Salman's face was covered in blood because of the shrapnel wounds, while the rest of her body "was shredded," according to her mother.

Despite being in immense pain, the girl greets visitors at the hospital "with a smile and thanks."

"My daughter wants to study medicine when she grows up," the mother said. "But how can she study when she is in this condition?"

At least 50 civilians, including 15 children, were killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza. Israel claims some of the deaths were caused by errant rocket fire, including one incident in the Jebaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza in which six Palestinians were killed Saturday. On Sunday, a projectile hit a home in the same area of Jebaliya, killing two men. Palestinian authorities note Israel is responsible for the deaths.