SAN FRANCISCO – A 15-year-old boy from Gaza, Ahmed Abu Obeida, arrived in California on Tuesday for medical treatment for severe injuries from the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Ahmed, who is in a wheelchair, landed at San Francisco International Airport, eagerly anticipating new prosthetic legs.
Over 100 people welcomed Ahmed at the airport. He shared that he was with his brother and best friend when an Israeli bomb hit them. His friend died, and both he and his brother were injured.
Dr. Mohammad Subeh, an ER physician from El Camino Hospital Mountain View, treated Ahmed in Gaza during a humanitarian mission. The injuries were so severe that survival seemed unlikely. Dr. Subeh said, “Most people don’t survive double amputations, even in the best conditions. Seeing Ahmed awake and smiling 72 hours later was a miracle.”
Ahmed, who lost both legs and part of his left hand, has also been treated in Egypt due to Gaza’s limited medical resources. In California, he will receive additional treatment and prosthetics in Sacramento, which he hopes will enable him to walk again.
Through a translator, Ahmed expressed his gratitude: “I’m very grateful and respectful to those who helped me get these prosthetics because they will allow me to have a normal life.” He also described the devastation in Gaza, saying, “Gaza is completely decimated. There is no life left.”
Dr. Subeh emphasized the need to end the conflict to prevent more children from suffering, noting that Ahmed is one of thousands of injured children in Gaza.
Heal Palestine organized Ahmed’s travel to the U.S., making him the 16th person they’ve assisted in getting medical care in the U.S. after life-changing injuries. Sabrin Ahmed from Heal Palestine mentioned that many more children in Gaza and Egypt are still waiting for treatment.
Ahmed hopes to walk again by the end of his treatment and eventually return home to Gaza.