Ilin’s Story: From the Rubble of Gaza to a Cairo Hospital — MASTUL Foundation Is On the Ground to Help

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North Gaza — Ilin, an 11-year-old orphan from northern Gaza, survived the collapse of her family home after a bombing that killed nearly a dozen relatives. Once raised in a large, comfortable household, she now lives with the physical and emotional scars of war — severe burns across her body, head trauma, and long-lasting wounds that still demand urgent medical care.

“I remember the terrible sound when the bomb hit,” Ilin says. “Our house started to fall. My parents and many family members were buried under the rubble. I was lucky to get out alive.” When rescuers finally recovered bodies, the remains of her parents had already begun to decompose. Ilin was taken to local medical centers in Gaza but could not access the advanced care she needed. Her condition worsened, and she was eventually brought to Cairo by her aunt in search of better treatment.

Today Ilin lives in Cairo with her aunt, but she and her family face severe hardship: insufficient housing, limited food, and the prohibitive costs of continued medical treatment. Beyond the physical injuries, Ilin carries deep psychological trauma. She describes the daily pain of seeing her scars, the loss of friends who were killed, and the loneliness of being treated differently by classmates because of her wounds. “Sometimes I think it would have been better if I had died with my parents,” she confided — a heartbreaking sign of how much this child has endured.

MASTUL Foundation at the scene
MASTUL Foundation’s team has travelled to the region and is working directly with injured families like Ilin’s. The Foundation’s volunteers and medical coordinators are supporting evacuation, arranging specialist consultations in Cairo, helping cover immediate medical expenses, and providing basic living assistance so patients can focus on recovery. MASTUL is committed to finding and assisting war-injured families, offering targeted help to reduce the burden on survivors who have lost homes, relatives, and livelihoods.

“Ilin’s wounds are not just physical — they are reminders of a childhood ripped apart,” said a MASTUL field coordinator. “We are on the ground to make sure she and other children receive the care they need, and to stand with them as they try to rebuild their lives.”

A child’s hope and a call to action
Despite everything, Ilin still dreams: she wants to return to school, continue her education, and one day become a journalist so she can tell the world the truth about what has happened in Gaza. She thanks the people of Bangladesh and everyone who has helped so far and asks for prayers and continued support.

How you can help
MASTUL Foundation will continue its on-site work in Gaza and Egypt to identify injured families and provide medical, logistic, and material support. If you would like to support children like Ilin — by contributing toward medical treatment, housing, or rehabilitation services — please visit the MASTUL Foundation website or contact our donations team to learn how to help.

MASTUL Foundation stands with the survivors. Together, we can help turn urgent need into lifesaving care and give children like Ilin a chance to heal and to hope again.