Gaza boy, 7, with visual impairments crying over broken glasses fuels anger over Israel’s blockade
LONDON: A video of a 7-year-old Palestinian boy with visual impairments crying over his shattered glasses drew tens of millions of views this week, reigniting outrage over the conditions facing children with disabilities in Gaza, where Israel’s blockade and more than two years of war have left thousands without access to basic healthcare.
The footage of Ayoub Junaid threw into sharp relief the plight of children with visual impairments across the territory, where eye examinations, corrective lenses and specialist surgery have become virtually impossible to obtain.
Ayoub has suffered from severe corneal damage and neurological complications since the age of 2, making specialized optical wear an ongoing necessity for his daily functioning.
He has since received a new pair of glasses following the clip spreading online, but his mother said the prescription is incorrect and that surgery — currently unavailable in Gaza — remains urgently needed to prevent permanent vision loss.
