Video of differently-abled Gaza child offering prayer melts hearts online

A video of a Palestinian child in Gaza, praying with missing limbs, melted hearts online. Osama Abu Moawad was born without arms after his mother was exposed to the Israeli army’s phosphorus attack in 2008 while pregnant with him.

Social media users admired Osama’s resilience, as he awaits artificial limbs to pursue his passion for drawing.

Osama was displaced to northern Gaza during the Israeli military offensive and now lives in a tent with his family. Despite his disability, he frequently shares videos from the tent, showing him engaging in various tasks and helping his family.

He is actively seeking donations to acquire prosthetic arms and overcome his disability.

In an interview, Osama’s mother shared their struggles after being displaced from Beit Lahia to Deir al-Balah. She explained that she feeds Osama, helps him with daily tasks, and takes him to the bathroom, saying the situation has made life very difficult.

“I was exposed to the phosphorus war in 2008. They [the Israeli army] threw phosphorus at Khalifa Bin Zayed School. I was pregnant with Osama, and the phosphorus affected him a lot,” she said.

The 16-year-old also revealed that he was also shot in the head and expressed his desire to have limbs like his friends.

Osama said he writes with his legs and is one of the top students at school. He can be seen on Instagram, making coffee and performing different tasks using his legs.

Due to the ongoing Israeli genocide, over 22,500 Palestinians have suffered “life-changing injuries” in Gaza. These wounded individuals will never fully recover from their injuries, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).