After 20 months apart, a young boy reunites with his family in Gaza
Fares* is four years old. He came to SOS Children’s Villages in Gaza with the help of a mosque imam, who found him in January 2024, alone. Fares spent one year and eight months under the care of SOS Children’s Villages.
In the months following his arrival, Ibrahim, a social worker at SOS Children’s Villages Palestine, tried to trace Fares’ family but without success. Meanwhile, Fares continued to receive care, support, and daily attention from his caregiver, Mama Hidaya.
One day, Fares needed urgent medical attention, so Mama Hidaya and Ibrahim took him to the nearest hospital. There, Ibrahim asked the hospital administration to try to provide an address for his family. Due to repeated displacement and the chaos caused by the ongoing conflict, locating them had been extremely difficult.
After many attempts, the hospital provided an address. Ibrahim then shared this information with the Ministry of Social Development, which was able to verify the family’s details and confirm the father’s identity.
A week later, the father arrived at the camp with his sister. From a distance, Fares saw his father, even though he was at an age where remembering his features would have been difficult, but he ran toward him and hugged him tightly.
“Despite his young age, when he saw his father, he ran to him quickly, even though he had been lost since he was about two years old,” says Wissal, Project Manager for Unaccompanied and Separated Children.
Before leaving together for their tent, the family received supplies from SOS Children’s Villages Palestine to support the child, including infant formula, vegetables, and clothing. The team will continue to check in to provide guidance and support, including help with finances and emotional wellbeing, as the family adjusts to life together.
*Name changed to protect privacy.