DETROIT — In a powerful show of solidarity and compassion, Metro Detroit welcomed four Palestinian children on Sunday who were severely injured during the ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza. The children — Waheed, Mohammed, Lana and Saher —arrived at Detroit Metropolitan Airport to begin a long journey of physical and psychological recovery in the United States.

Their arrival is part of the Global Healing Program launched by HEAL Palestine, a nonprofit founded in early 2024 to respond to the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza. The program aims to provide medical treatment, prosthetic limbs and psychological and social support for children who have lost limbs in Israeli airstrikes.

At the airport, the children were greeted by a large crowd from the Arab American community, including Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud, along with staff and leadership from HEAL Palestine.

Among the children:

• Mohammed (14) lost his parents, sister, and brother in an Israeli strike that targeted his family home on August 14, 2024. He also lost one leg and suffered injuries to the other.

• Lana (11) arrived with her mother. She lost her right leg in a bombing near her uncle’s home in Khan Younis on August 31, 2024.

• Saher (6) was severely wounded in a strike on July 22, 2024 that killed his younger brother. He lost his right leg and suffered other injuries, along with his parents and siblings.

• Waheed (12) lost half of his arm, a leg, and one eye in another Israeli airstrike.

Their arrival in Detroit follows the arrival of four other Palestinian children — Sidra, Adam, Yazan and Mohammed — at Chicago O’Hare Airport just a day earlier. All are part of HEAL Palestine’s urgent efforts to evacuate wounded children for treatment abroad.

In a statement, HEAL Palestine emphasized the emotional weight of the children’s arrival, noting that they are suffering from deep psychological trauma as well as devastating physical injuries.

“The Global Healing Program is not just about medical care,” the organization said. “It is a commitment to walking with each child through every challenge, toward a future full of opportunity.”

The organization noted that Gaza now holds the largest population of child amputees in the world, a crisis the United Nations has described as “the largest group of child amputees in modern history.”

“Through this program, we evacuate children who cannot access appropriate care in Gaza and guide them through every stage of recovery — from crossing the border into Egypt, to receiving care in the U.S., rehabilitation and reintegration into life,” HEAL Palestine explained.

To date, the organization has helped more than 35 Palestinian children receive life-saving surgeries, prosthetic limbs and long-term rehabilitation — offering not only medical treatment, but also the chance at a full and joyful life.

Founded on January 1, 2024, HEAL Palestine is led by a board of Palestinian American professionals and activists. Its chair is Naseem Tuffaha, a tech expert based in Seattle, with Tania Nasir of Los Angeles serving as vice chair. Nasir co-founded the organization alongside Dr. Zeena Salman (Ohio) and Steve Sosebee, who also serves as executive director.

Sosebee, a former journalist based in Ohio, previously co-founded the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF) in the early 1990s with Nasir’s parents, Dr. Musa Nasir and Dr. Suheila Nasir, helping hundreds of Palestinian children receive care in the U.S.

At Sunday’s arrival, Sosebee greeted Mayor Hammoud and thanked him for the city’s support.

Hammoud reiterated his strong backing for the Palestinian people and expressed joy at welcoming the children to southeast Michigan.

“The people of Dearborn and this entire region stand with the Palestinian cause,” he said. “We are proud to offer these children the dignity and healing they deserve — just like any other children around the world.”

Hammoud has become a vocal supporter of Gaza since the start of Israel’s assault in fall 2023.

Speaking at the airport, Hammoud renewed his call to hold Israel accountable for war crimes in Gaza and called again for an end to the ongoing genocide against its people.

For more information or to donate to HEAL Palestine, visit: www.healpalestine.org