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10-year-old Saddam had been trapped at
home
with his family in Tulkarem, a city in
the northern occupied West
Bank, for two days as Israeli forces
carried out an incursion
throughout the city. He told his dad he
was going outside just for a
minute—a minute that changed his life
forever.
The attack was caught on CCTV footage:
Saddam walking in front of
his home, and out of nowhere, an Israeli
soldier shoots him in the
waist. The bullet exited from his chest
and he collapsed, screaming
for his father.
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Saddam's father tried to carry him to
safety and was brutally
attacked by Israeli soldiers who
obstructed access to an ambulance.
Once Saddam eventually made it to Thabet
Thabet Governmental Hospital
in Tulkarem, doctors performed surgery
for three hours to stop the
bleeding caused by the bullet ripping
through his intestines and
damaging his internal organs.
After the surgery, doctors referred
Saddam to Rafidia Hospital in
Nablus, where he could receive
specialized care. An ambulance arrived
to transport Saddam and Israeli soldiers
detained the paramedics.
While Israeli soldiers held up the
ambulance, one soldier told
Saddam’s father, “I am the one who shot
your son. God willing, he will
die.”
Saddam remains in critical condition in
Nablus where he will
continue to receive care to help him
heal from this brutal attack. We
are calling for immediate accountability
for the soldiers that
unleashed this cruelty on Saddam.
You can share Saddam's story on Facebook,
Twitter,
and Instagram.
Thank you for all you
do to support Palestinian children.
In solidarity,
![Ayed Abu Eqtaish]() |
Ayed Abu
Eqtaish
Accountability Program
Director
Defense for Children
International -
Palestine | |