Gaza boy who carried brother on shoulders reunites with father

A young Palestinian boy in Gaza, who was filmed carrying his little brother on his shoulders while fleeing south under the scorching sun, has finally been reunited with his father. The heartbreaking video of the brothers went viral on social media, symbolising the heavy toll of the Israeli assault on Palestinian children.

Palestinian content creator Ahmed Younis and an Egyptian committee helped trace the children after the clip went viral online.

The elder brother, Jidou, explained that he had been separated from his parents in northern Gaza during the evacuation orders issued by Israeli occupation forces. With no one to turn to, he carried his younger brother, Khaled, through the dangerous and exhausting journey to Khan Younis.

Read more: Israeli attacks kill 10 young footballers from Gaza academy

Their father said his family had been “completely scattered” by the Israeli offensive, explaining that his wife fled with their two daughters while Jidou escaped with Khaled on foot. He added that his elder son dreams of becoming a teacher one day.

Children have been among the hardest hit in Israel’s ongoing military offensive. According to the United Nations, half of the two million people displaced in Gaza are children. UNICEF estimates that nearly 17,000 children have been left without a parent since October 7, 2023.

The war has also taken a severe toll on children’s mental health. UNICEF reports widespread cases of extreme fear, hunger, and sleep deprivation, with the constant sound of bombings leaving many children in states of panic and agitation. At least one million children are now in urgent need of psychological and humanitarian assistance.

Families already struggling with shortages of food, water, and shelter are finding it increasingly difficult to care for orphaned children of relatives killed in the war.

UNICEF has repeatedly warned that Israel’s blockade on aid supplies is worsening the humanitarian crisis, describing its impact on Gaza’s children as “devastating.”

According to UNICEF figures, more than 30,000 children have been injured and nearly 20,000 killed in Gaza since Israel launched its assault in October 2023.