For Mazyouna Damoo, a 13-year-old girl from Gaza, it’s the beginning of a new life. She was lucky to survive a direct missile strike that killed her other siblings. The attack occurred in June 2024, when an Israeli missile hit her apartment in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. The blast radically disfigured half of Mazyouna’s face, exposing her jawbone, and changed the course of her life indelibly.
In a heartbreaking turn of events, Mazyouna’s teenage sister Hala, just 13 years old, was killed. Her 10-year-old younger brother Mohannad was killed on impact as well. Her youngest sister, Tala, had miraculously survived the onslaught and was pulled from under the rubble. After the attack, Mazyouna’s family made desperate pleas for evacuation from the war ravaged Gaza. They had to fight to get medical care for all of her injuries.
With the support of humanitarian organizations, Mazyouna traveled to the United States with her mother, Areej Damoo, and her surviving sister, Tala. They settled in El Paso, Texas, where Mazyouna has since received multiple surgical interventions over the past year. Her medical team has painstakingly reconstructed her right cheek, lips and the jawbone obliterated in the blast.
According to Dr. Arshad Kaleem, the pediatric surgeon in charge of Mazyouna’s treatment, her case would be historically important.
“Our goal is to address the visible facial deformities and restore the basic structure and appearance of Mazyouna’s face,” – Dr. Arshad Kaleem.
Though Mazyouna has made incredible strides, her story is not without its emotional scars. Her father, Ahmed Damoo, has not yet made it out of Gaza and has been further delayed from reuniting with his family in the US. The separation weighs heavily on him.
“The thought of being reunited with my girls is what has kept me alive for this long,” – Ahmed Damoo.
Mazyouna’s family would like to be resettled to a different country so they can start to rebuild their lives together. Meanwhile, in El Paso, Mazyouna is continuing her treatment at a major children’s hospital and adjusting to her new life in the U.S. When Mazyouna first came to the US, she did not know a single word in English. Today, she speaks fluently in English and what little Spanish she knows with confidence.
Today, Mazyouna and Tala are enrolled in nearby public schools. After a year of lost learning, they are doing their best to stay ahead, and it is very moving to see their enthusiasm to meet new friends and make new connections. Areej Damoo spoke about her daughters’ infatuation with traditional Palestinian dress and their memories of their grandmother.
“Mazyouna and Tala love dressing up, especially in traditional Palestinian clothes, which they rarely get to wear anymore. Mazyouna’s grandmother would sit and tell the children stories of our homeland, but she was killed during the airstrike,” – Areej Damoo.
Even as Mazyouna learns how to navigate her new life in Texas, she continues to process the trauma of the events that irreversibly altered hers. She expresses her struggles openly.
“It’s still hard for me to talk about. I try not to think about all the terrible things that happened in Gaza, but it is difficult when that’s all people want to talk about,” – Mazyouna.
Mazyouna faces many barriers, she continues to stay positive about her future. She wishes to be a doctor someday and treat other children who have been through the same experiences.
“When I grow up, I want to be a doctor and help kids like me. I feel really lucky to have survived and gotten the care I needed. One day, I hope I can help others the way the doctors here have helped me,” – Mazyouna.
Though as she embarks on her recovery journey with the knowledge and support of those committed to her physiologic healing, Mazyouna’s grit and toughness is unmistakable. Her mom and sister continue to be an important part of both Deka’s and her family’s new life together. At the same time, they remain deeply rooted in their joyful memories of those they lost.
Medical care is key to Mazyouna’s recovery. In her speech, Dr. He added that the emotional support of family unity is central to her healing process.
“No matter how much we do for her here, the best medicine for this little girl is to be reunited with her father,” – Dr. Arshad Kaleem.
Mazyouna’s story is one of survival amid tragedy, highlighting not only the physical scars left by violence but the emotional toll on families separated by conflict. She looks forward to a future full of hope and healing. Her journey is an inspiration to peace and humanitarian advocates all over the world.