Young girl fights for life amid intensifying Israeli strikes in Lebanon

The threat of death looms large as Israeli airstrikes continue to wreak havoc across the region. With over 30 bombings reported in just an hour, the death toll has climbed to at least 46, and the number is expected to rise.

Among those fighting for survival is six-year-old Noor Mossawi, who lies unconscious in the pediatric intensive care unit of Rayak Hospital, her head wrapped in bandages due to severe injuries sustained from an Israeli attack. Her mother, Rima, remains by her bedside, clutching a copy of the Qur’an and praying for her daughter’s recovery. “She creates such a fun atmosphere at home. The house feels empty when she’s not around. She loves meeting new people,” Rima reflects on Noor’s vibrant spirit before the tragedy.

Rima recounts the harrowing moments leading up to the strike. “I was soothing her, telling her not to be afraid, that nothing would happen,” she recalls, describing how she and Noor were huddled by the front door with Noor’s twin brother, Mohammed, as the bombing intensified. “When it got more intense, I picked up Noor and her brother, but the missile was much faster than I was.” While Mohammed sustained minor injuries, Noor’s condition remains critical.

As the sound of another airstrike echoes overhead, Rima’s composure remains unnerved. Noor’s father, Abdallah, expresses his anguish and anger, imploring, “Please film my child. She doesn’t know what weapons are. She was playing at home when the bombing started.” He criticizes Israel’s claim that its strikes target Hezbollah sites, insisting, “We have nothing to do with weapons… But now I wish I was [involved] so that I could protect my children.”

The hospital is overwhelmed, having treated 400 casualties from the recent strikes, all civilians, according to Dr. Basil Abdallah, the medical director. “Seeing children bombed, seeing elderly patients and women bombed, it’s difficult. Most of the nurses and doctors are depressed. We are human,” he admits, voicing concern over dwindling medical supplies as the conflict escalates.

As Israeli strikes extend far and wide, the looming uncertainty of prolonged violence weighs heavily on the region, leaving families like Noor’s in a state of despair and vulnerability.