Six-year-old Omar was orphaned and lost an arm when his home in Gaza was bombed. Teenager Amir lost relatives and fingers on his hand in a blast that left him trapped for 24 hours.
The two children, who are both receiving medical treatment in Lebanon, were invited to SAT-7’s Beirut studio to take part in a moving Christmas special of You Are Not Alone titled “Zero Distance,” which will air on December 26th.
“This Christmas, we welcomed children who have lived through the hardest days of their lives,” said presenter Sirene Semerdjian. “They lost parts of their bodies, and even more painfully, they lost members of their families… We know that nothing can truly compensate for what they’ve lost. That’s why it was essential for us to share with them a message of hope and faith.”
Shattered Lives
During two years of war in Gaza, 64,000 children have reportedly been killed or injured1, with many more suffering bereavement and trauma. And while a fragile ceasefire came into effect on October 10th, their suffering is far from over.
Little Omar lost 15 members of his family, including his father, mother, and sister, when their home was bombed. He was also left with life-changing injuries, including an amputated arm, shrapnel in his face, and is undergoing surgeries on his leg. Despite his immense suffering, the courageous boy was able to say, “I am strong, and my heart is strong.”
Amir, aged 14, lost his uncles and grandfather when their home was shelled. He was trapped inside for 24 hours before being rescued and had to wait for four days in the hospital for surgery. He is now having to adapt to the amputation of fingers on one of his hands. “Words can’t describe what happened to us,” Amir said. “I lived a difficult life. I hope the future will be easier than the past.”
Omar and Amir were brought to Lebanon for treatment through Dr. Ghassan Abu Sittah’s Children’s Fund, which is dedicated to providing medical attention for children from Gaza and Lebanon who need it most.
Encouragement from Children
Also invited to take part in the special Christmas episode of You Are Not Alone were two blind Lebanese children, Charbel (13) and Daven (10), who are both gifted musicians. They, too, have experienced loss and are having to live with profound challenges, but have also found ways to adapt and thrive.
Charbel and Daven spoke directly to Omar and Amir, offering heartfelt encouragement from their own experiences, and lifted everyone’s spirits through the performance of Christmas hymns on the piano.
“Through their words and their talent, they showed Omar and Amir, and all of us, that no matter how hard life gets, it is still possible to rise, to grow, and to dream,” Sirene said.
At the end of the episode, all the children were surprised with special gifts to bring a moment of joy amid their pain. It was especially exciting for Omar to receive a new bicycle after his was destroyed in Gaza.
“Incredibly Emotional”
You Are Not Alone has been covering the war in Gaza since its inception, interviewing numerous guests from the territory via video calls. This was the first time for Sirene and the team to meet Palestinians affected by the conflict and hear their stories in person.
“Hosting these children in our studio was incredibly emotional,” Sirene said. “Not once did I imagine I would see these guests here in Lebanon because it’s very difficult for Palestinians to get out of Gaza.”
She said it was important for You Are Not Alone to include these children in this special episode because Christmas “reminds us once again of God’s love for us,” adding, “It’s a time to stand by one another, support one another, and be present for those who are hurting. Through this episode, we wanted to offer them hope and healing, to say, “You are not alone.”
Sources
1 UNICEF
