Girl who lost legs due to war in Gaza getting help in Seattle to walk again
Girl from Gaza in Seattle for medical treatment
A 12-year-old girl who lost her legs from a bomb explosion in Gaza may soon be able to walk again with the help of a local aid group and medical professionals.
SEATTLE - A 12-year-old who lost her legs after a bomb exploded near her in Gaza may soon be able to walk again with the help of local volunteers and medical professionals.
She's staying with a host family along with her mom, sister and brother as she gets help here in the Seattle area.
Seba's family says she lost her legs in January 2025 after a bomb fell nearby as she was walking to a store. HEAL Palestine helped to bring her family here and is hoping to help her get back some of what the war took away.
It's hard not to light up when you see Seba's thousand-watt smile, which flashes on as she shows off the balloons supporters gave her, welcoming her to Seattle.
It's a smile that also came to life when she was on the dance floor. Her mom provided FOX 13 with video of her dancing with another group of girls before an explosion took that ability from her.
"January 4th 2025, was her injury," said Sondos Jaber, the family's social worker, translating for Seba.
Seba left the shelter where the family was staying, heading over to a nearby store when the bomb hit.
"She was going to buy a few things and that’s where it hit," said Jaber.
She was severely injured and, due to the collapse of the medical system, her legs went from bad to worse.
"She got really infected. There was no treatment for it so they had to amputate," said Jaber, translating for Seba's mom.
"From severe burns, shrapnel injuries and then often they are losing their limbs in the process, Gaza is home now to the largest number of child-amputees around the world," said Naseem Tuffaha, Chairman of HEAL Palestine.
Seba and her family have pictures to remember the old days, one of those photos is pictured below, as she continues her medical journey with hope in her heart.
Part of the 12-year-old's inspiration to walk again, a Barbie with a prosthetic leg, gifted by a supporter. The doll is pictured below.
Meantime, Sondos is looking for a school where Seba and her two siblings, Ahmad and Heba, who traveled with her, can attend while she gets her new legs.
"They go to school, and come back they learn. It’s just really, really important their kids they definitely need their education," said Sondos.
Seba can't help but flash that brilliant smile when she thinks of being able to one day dance again.
"She wants to go back to dancing," said Jaber, translating for Seba. "She just wants to play and earlier she said she can’t wait to go back to school with her prosthetics."
While she undergoes treatment here, Seba also wants to explore the city and visit a waterfall.
Heal Palestine says it has helped around 60 children to get their medical needs met outside of Gaza over the past year.
HEAL Palestine describes itself online as a non-political nonprofit organization founded in January 2024, in response to the unimaginable devastation in Gaza, where thousands of lives were lost in a short period, impacting generations for decades to come.
"This week, Seba and her family are part of what is the largest single evacuation of children from Gaza who have been injured. There have been 11 families who have come to cities all across the US. HEAL Palestine has brought over 60 children in the past year to receive treatment here," said Tuffaha. "But, at the end of the day, we are just scratching the surface, given there are thousands and thousands who are in need of treatment."
Tuffaha says treatment for kids like Seba is made possible through donations and partnerships in the community. The organization is hoping to bring more children to the US for treatment in the future.
The Source: Information in this story is from HEAL Palestine and original FOX 13 Seattle reporting and interviews.
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