Born in wartime, Jihad, a baby in Gaza, had not eaten in more than a day as his parents, Nour Barda and Heba al-Arqan, struggled to find food amidst the chaos of Israeli attacks. The family, along with five others, found themselves trapped in a storage closet at Al-Shifa Hospital, surviving on Palestinian thyme and wild greens, with limited water supply.
A Father’s Dilemma
Jihad’s father, Mr. Barda, shared the heart-wrenching dilemma of not being able to provide nourishment for his son, as their resources had depleted. With no formula, no breast milk, and only basic foraged greens to eat, the family faced starvation within the hospital walls, surrounded by gunfire and uncertainty.
A Risky Decision for Survival
After 28 hours without food for Jihad, the family made a daring decision to approach the Israeli soldiers despite the danger. Holding up one of Jihad’s T-shirts on a makeshift pole, they braved the volatile situation to seek a way out of the dire circumstances, ultimately choosing to leave for southern Gaza along with other civilians fleeing the conflict.
