SHOTLIST:

GAZA, PALESTINE (AUG. 19, 2025) (ANADOLU - ACCESS ALL)

1. MERAL AL-BABLI BEING CARRIED TO HOSPITAL AFTER BEING INJURED BY ISRAELI ATTACK

2. MERAL AL-BABLI BEING TREATED AT HOSPITAL BEFORE HER LEG GOT AMPUTATED

3. VARIOUS OF MERAL AL-BABLI STANDING HOLDING ONTO CRUTCHES

4. MERAL AL-BABLI SPEAKING TO REPORTER (Arabic)

5. VARIOUS OF MERAL AL-BABLI WALKING WITH CRUTCHES/ WALKING WITH CRUTCHES AMONG DEBRIS/ SITTING ON RUBBLE OF A DESTRUCTED HOUSE

6. VARIOUS OF MERAL PLAYING GAMES WITH OTHER CHILDREN GAZA, PALESTINE - AUG. 19, 2025: Palestinian girl Meral Al-Babli, who lost her leg in an Israeli attack on Gaza, wishes to have a prosthetic leg so she can play without holding onto her crutches.

Meral is only one of nearly 5,000 children in Gaza who have lost limbs and been left disabled due to Israeli attacks.

In addition to losing her leg, the same attack killed three children and four women, including the 9-year-old’s mother.

Now left without a mother, Meral lives with her grandfather, who tried to save her after she was injured during the strike.

Her grandfather, Mohammed, said the poor girl bled for six hours, but he could not take her to the hospital; he felt utterly helpless when he could do nothing to save his most beloved one as she was close to death.

When they finally reached a hospital, doctors gave him two choices: either lose her leg or lose her life.

After her leg was amputated, Meral now wishes for a prosthetic so she could leave her crutches behind and play freely again.

Mohammed said that after losing her mother, the girl longs for a family environment. He hopes she can join her father, who works in Belgium, and get a prosthetic leg.

Meral, who now has to play on crutches, said she dreams of a prosthetic leg so she can run and play with her friends again.

Israel has killed more than 62,000 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

Writing by Ayse Elif Erdis