ORLANDO, Fla. – A young girl from Gaza who was burned in a bombing arrived in Orlando for life-changing care on Monday.
Seventeen-year-old Hala is the survivor of a bombing in Gaza that claimed the lives of her 15-year-old brother and three of her cousins. The teenager was left with severe burns on her body. Despite the traumatic incident, she has not lost her smile, and she is ready for rehabilitation.
“I’m so happy,” she said after arriving at Orlando International Airport. “Thank you so much to everyone.”
Hala and her mother were brought to the country by Heal Palestine, a non-profit dedicated to providing healthcare access to Palestinian children and youth. The group facilitated her transfer and treatment in the U.S., working closely with Orlando medical professionals and volunteers, and allowing Hala to get treatment pro bono.
“She’ll be receiving burn treatment. Probably have to have some skin grafts done,” Heal Palestine representative Lena Keswani told News 6. “She is happy that she’s getting this opportunity, and we’re hoping that it all goes well with her and she is able to recover 100%.”
Since last December, Heal Palestine has flown 25 children to the U.S. for care. On Monday, four more, including Hala, arrived.
“It’s a very long, long process,” Keswani explained. “If I were to sit and tell you step-by-step what it is, we would be here for an hour. It takes a very long time, and only a fraction — a very small fraction — of children are approved.”
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Dozens of community members created signs and brought flowers and gifts to welcome Hala and her mother at the Orlando International Airport.
“I’ve been involved with this movement for about a year now, and these have become my friends and family,” Orlando resident Teryn Borger said. “So anyone from Palestine is family to me. They’re the nicest, sweetest, kindest, most selfless people. So I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
While it was just the beginning of a long road to recovery, the moment was surreal for people like Keswani, who worked hard to evacuate Hala.
“How are you feeling now that she’s here?” News 6 reporter Stephanie Rodriguez asked.
“I’m a bit emotional but I’m glad that she made it safely and I’m looking forward to seeing her heal,” Keswani replied.
There is no timeline for how long Hala will stay in Orlando, but she will stay with her host family as long as necessary for her treatment.
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