Ibtisam Ahmed Abu Mustafa
11 years old – from Khan Younis
On what she thought was an ordinary morning, Ibtisam went to school, unaware that October 7 would split her childhood in two: before the war… and after it.
Her family was forced to flee to the Al-Mashrou’ area, while her father stayed behind at work always promising that he would return carrying peace with him.
But his absence grew… one month after another.
Seven long months during which Ibtisam imagined his return, replayed his voice in her mind, and waited for him at the door.
Then came the news not of his return, but of his martyrdom.
A shock far heavier than a child’s heart could hold.
Ibtisam refused to believe it. She clung to hope, the only thing she had left.
The pain deepened when the family learned that her father’s body had not been laid to rest, as the occupation continued to withhold the bodies of dozens of martyrs.
And recently, the announcement came: the bodies handed over to the Red Cross had been buried without being identified.
Her father was not among them.
His soul rose to the sky… while his body remained without a farewell.
In a quiet voice carrying the sorrow of loss but also the strength of a child who keeps trying to rise, Ibtisam says:
“I was depressed… I didn’t join any activities. But when I heard about Nafs Empowerment, I came… I drew, I colored, I let things out… and I felt relief I haven’t felt in a long time.”
In Ibtisam’s eyes, you can see all the weight of loss
but you can also see a small spark returning, a spark lit by play, art, and a safe space that finally allowed her to breathe.
Ibtisam’s story is not just the story of a child who lost her father.
It is a reminder that children in war need more than shelter and food.
They need someone to hold their hearts before they break
and someone to hear their voice before it goes silent inside them.