“The Only Survivor”: Little Ahmed Emerges Alone from the Rubble in Gaza

In the heart of Gaza’s Al-Bureij refugee camp, a small boy woke to a nightmare no child should ever endure.

Ahmed Abu Bakr Al-Maqadmah went to sleep cradled by the comfort of his family. By morning, he was buried under the rubble of his home, his world reduced to dust and silence.

At around 1 a.m., Israeli airstrikes flattened Al-Maqadmah family home. Ahmed’s parents and siblings died instantly under the collapsed walls. Rescue teams could not reach them. Neighbors, powerless…