**Reuniting Families in War-Torn Gaza**
In the al-Mawasi camp in southern Gaza, a family is slowly rebuilding itself. The Masri children, once alone and injured after an Israeli bombing six months ago, have been reunited with their grandmother Kawther al-Masri.
The girls, aged two to nine, were exposed to death and destruction when their home was hit by an Israeli airstrike. Their parents and two younger sisters were killed in the attack. The family’s father had been arrested by Israeli forces over a year earlier.
**A Long Wait for Reunion**
Kawther al-Masri had given up hope of ever seeing her granddaughters again, after being told they had died in the bombing. But then she received news that three of them were still alive. It took months of paperwork and welfare checks by UNICEF to arrange their move from northern Gaza.
The girls’ emotional goodbye was filmed by UNICEF before they were taken away in armored cars. The short journey between Gaza City and Deir al-Balah required crossing an Israeli checkpoint, a perilous process during the ongoing war.
**A Family’s Story**
The Masri family is not alone in their struggles. Thousands of people have been separated from each other due to Israel’s division of Gaza into two parts. Many families are still searching for loved ones who are missing or detained.
UNICEF spokesperson Rosalia Bollen emphasizes that reuniting families is a top priority, especially for vulnerable children who have suffered trauma and loss.
**A Tent in the Desert**
Kawther al-Masri’s grandchildren now live with her in a tent at the al-Mawasi camp. UNICEF provided them with food, medicine, and warm jackets to protect them from the harsh winter temperatures that have caused many babies to die of hypothermia.
However, Kawther is concerned about the children’s mental health and how they will cope with their experiences. They often wander off in thought and are afraid at night, thinking there will be another airstrike.
**A Hope for Peace**
Kawther al-Masri hopes for a truce between Israel and Gaza, so that her grandchildren can rebuild their lives without becoming part of a lost generation.
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