Syrian woman: ‘Israeli doctors saved my granddaughter’s life’

Shot in the head during sectarian violence, a six-year-old Syrian girl is now smiling again, thanks to Israeli care.

By Lauren Marcus, World Israel News

A Syrian woman is praising Israeli doctors for saving the life of her six-year-old granddaughter, who was wounded in recent sectarian violence in the embattled country.

“The doctors treated her as if she were their own daughter. If they hadn’t evacuated us to Israel, she wouldn’t be alive today,” the woman, who was not identified by name due to security concerns, told Hebrew-language outlet Ynet.

The child, whose name was also not made public, was shot in the head while playing in the front yard of her family’s home during clashes. Severely injured, she was evacuated to Ziv Medical Center in Tzfat, Israel, alongside her grandmother, who also received medical treatment from Israeli doctors.

Expressing her gratitude to the medical team at the hospital, where she and her granddaughter are staying for the duration of her treatment, the woman added that she has “no words” to express the magnitude of her appreciation.

“We knew from the beginning that we were fighting not only for her life, but also for her quality of life,” Dr. Samuel Tobias, director of neurosurgery at Ziv Medical Center, told Ynet.

“When we received her, she was in a serious neurological condition. We saw a quiet, withdrawn girl with signs of significant brain damage. But we…knew we would not give up on her.”

Tobias said that the girl underwent a series of brain scans and testing and received medication aimed at improving her functioning. She slowly began making progress, he said.

“At a certain point, she started making sounds. Then came words, movements, facial expressions, and most importantly, not only did her body get stronger – her mental state also improved in an inspiring way,” he explained. “When she arrived, she didn’t speak, didn’t move, and today she’s smiling.”

The girl is still hospitalized, awaiting a surgery that will replace a missing part of her skull with an implant.

Tobias emphasized that Israeli doctors are focused on achieving the best possible outcome for their patients regardless of ethnicity, religion, or citizenship.

“We see the person, not the nationality,” Tobias said. “No matter where you come from, we are here to save lives.”