The boys long to be reunited with their parents, believing they will see them again once they return to Gaza City, their home before it was destroyed by war. Despite being told their parents are dead, the brothers, Mohammed, Mahmoud, Ahmed, and Abdullah Akeila, express hope that their parents will be waiting for them.
Only Ahmed, the second youngest at 13, saw his mother’s body. The brothers grieve through important milestones, struggling to speak as they hold on to hope. Even 9-year-old Abdullah claims to hear his mother’s voice during evening prayers.
Their aunt, Samar al-Jaja, who cares for them in Khan Younis, is unsure how to comfort them. The war in Gaza has torn families apart, leaving many children orphaned and alone. Aid groups struggle to keep track of these children in the chaos.
Medical staff witness children left to fend for themselves in hospitals, labeled as “wounded child, no surviving family.” The conflict has separated countless families, with children often left without parents due to arrests or airstrikes.
Among the orphans is Mennat-Allah Salah, who constantly talks about her parents, mimicking her mother’s mannerisms and wearing her clothes. She reflects on her mother’s love, struggling to come to terms with her loss.
In a heartwarming gesture, a nurse named Amal Abu Khatleh adopts a baby girl found after an airstrike, naming her Malak. Despite legal obstacles, she plans to raise Malak as her own daughter, supported by her community.
In the case of the Akeila brothers, their aunt steps in to care for them after their parents are killed in an airstrike. Despite the immense loss, she vows to raise the boys with the same love and kindness their mother showed them. The camp provides some support, but the family remains determined to honor their parents’ memory and provide a future for the children.