The Fate of the Young Girl Seen in a Photograph of Gaza Detainees
In a group of Gazan men detained by Israeli forces, a small girl caught the attention of many. The BBC recently published a photo of the scene, with the faces of the men obscured for privacy. The little girl, barely visible in the crowd of men, stood towards the back of the group. The men had been ordered to strip down to their underwear, even the elderly ones, as Israeli soldiers searched for weapons or links to Hamas.
The image was first shared on the Telegram account of a journalist with connections in the Israel Defence Forces. The men in the photo appeared fearful and exhausted, while the little girl, circled in the image, seemed to be looking away from the soldiers and their guns. Her presence sparked many questions – who was she, and what had she experienced?
With the help of BBC Arabic Gaza Today program and freelance journalists in Gaza, the BBC set out to find the little girl. After 48 hours of searching, they located three-year-old Julia Abu Warda in Gaza City with her family. Julia appeared physically unharmed, dressed in a jumper and jeans, but her expression was wary.
Her father, Mohammed, shared their harrowing story of being displaced multiple times in the past weeks due to airstrikes and gunfire. On the day the photo was taken, they were fleeing the Al-Khalufa district after hearing an Israeli drone warning to evacuate. In the chaos, Mohammed and Julia were separated from the rest of their family, but they eventually made their way to an Israeli checkpoint.
At the checkpoint, the men were ordered to strip down while they were searched. Julia’s father recounted the distress she felt, screaming for her mother amidst the chaos. The family was eventually reunited, finding solace in each other’s presence and the support of their community in Gaza City.
Julia had suffered deep trauma, having lost her favorite cousin Yahya in an Israeli drone strike just weeks before. Her father described how she now points towards the drones overhead whenever they fly by, a constant reminder of the violence that surrounds them.
The UN estimates that nearly all children in Gaza, nearly one million, are in need of mental health support due to the ongoing conflict. Julia’s story is just one of many heartbreaking tales from the war-torn region, where children like her are facing unimaginable loss and trauma.
Despite the challenges they face, Julia’s family remains determined to protect her and provide a sense of normalcy in a place where life can end with terrible suddenness. Their resilience and love for Julia shine through, offering a glimmer of hope in the midst of chaos and destruction.
