Palestinian children received presents from Make-A-Wish UAE at a special event in Emirates Humanitarian City, Abu Dhabi, on Tuesday.
Wishes were granted to children from Gaza currently receiving treatment at the centre – a small gesture that brought smiles to young faces, even as their deepest hope remains for the war to end and to be reunited with their families.
Balloons floated through the halls and ice creams were handed out as Make-A-Wish UAE delivered phones, tablets, gaming laptops and other items requested by the children. Amid the laughter and celebration, the wounds of war were never far away.
Jameel Astal, 14, who lost the vision in one eye after shrapnel from a rocket struck his face, said his first call would be to his father, who is still in Gaza. “I’ve always wanted an iPhone,” said Hassan Kuzat, another child at the event. “Ever since I was in Gaza.”
“Don’t drop it,” his mother Nariman Kuzat, 38, warned with a soft laugh. “Our wish is for the war to end and to be reunited with our families. But this is the first time I’ve seen my son smile since we arrived,” she said. The family has been in the UAE for seven months.
“He’s a happy child, but this war has robbed that from us. It has taken our lives,” she said. “It’s hard to smile with everything that’s happened, but today – just look around you. Our children are smiling. And we are smiling with them.”
Bringing some joy
Moath Al Najar, 13, who lost his left arm in the war, also asked for an iPhone. His mother said he studies both at Emirates Humanitarian City and virtually through exam portals in Gaza. He is in the sixth grade.
“Now I can continue my studies in Gaza and call my father who is still there,” he said. “Bringing a smile to young children who have lost their arms and legs – and sometimes their families – is immeasurable. We can’t thank the UAE and Make-A-Wish enough for this. It’s what we all need: some happiness in the middle of all of this.”
The wishes were part of Make-A-Wish UAE’s fourth visit to Emirates Humanitarian City.
“We are here today to grant wishes for children from Gaza with critical illnesses. These children are currently receiving care at Emirates Humanitarian City, and today marks our fourth visit to grant their wishes. So far, we’ve granted more than 80 wishes here [since visits began four months ago], with 19 today alone,” said Noha El Shourbagy, chief operating officer of Make-A-Wish UAE.
“Of course, the ultimate wish for these children is for the war to end and to be reunited with their families. We can’t change everything, but what we can do is bring them moments of hope, strength and joy during a very difficult time.” The gifts given included games and electronics such as PlayStations and tablets.
“Usually, we work within four categories of wishes: wish to have, wish to go, wish to be, and wish to meet. But because the children are residing inside the humanitarian city, most of the wishes fall under the category of ‘wish to have’,” Ms El Shourbagy said.
Make-A-Wish UAE grants wishes to critically ill children from the ages of three to 18 across the UAE, Egypt, Yemen and Jordan, in partnership with hospitals in each country.
“We were established in 2010 and since then, we’ve granted around 7,900 wishes. Soon, we’ll be celebrating our 8,000th wish,” she said. “We’ve agreed with Emirates Humanitarian City to come monthly and grant around 20 wishes each visit. As long as these children are here, we will continue to show up for them.”
