Between Silence and Dispersion.. The Occupation Blackmails Gaza Children with 'Sense of Hearing' in Exchange for Return

Palestinian children from the Gaza Strip are facing a new chapter of suffering, after Israeli occupation authorities linked their return home to abandoning the hearing devices through which they regained their ability to communicate with the world. These children, who underwent complex cochlear implant surgeries in Jordan, found themselves stranded at King Hussein Bridge, awaiting a decision that would allow them to pass with their essential medical equipment.

Sources reported that families initially received assurances of Israeli approval for the entry of cochlear devices and their technical accessories, but the reality at the crossing was completely different. Mothers were surprised by the stubbornness of occupation officers who refused to allow the entry of accessories without which the cochlear implant cannot function, leaving them with two bitter choices: either return to Jordan or enter Gaza and remain in a world of silence again.

The journey of these children began on October 30, 2025, when they left the Strip in coordination with the World Health Organization and international bodies to undergo operations in the Jordanian capital, Amman. Despite the success of the surgeries performed in early November, the occupation's procedures turned the joy of regaining hearing into a nightmare of waiting and uncertainty at the border.

Eleven families, who were on the first and second buses, made the difficult decision to return to Jordanian territory, considering that entering Gaza without the devices meant the complete failure of the therapeutic trip's purpose. Mothers confirmed that the surgically implanted cochlea inside the head is worthless without the headphones and external electronic parts that the occupation insists on confiscating.

In contrast, the occupation authorities allowed only five families to pass and return to the Gaza Strip, but under impossible conditions that included abandoning their mobile phones and all their personal belongings. The families on the third bus were forced to agree to these harsh conditions, including leaving behind medicines and special meals for the children, to ensure the preservation of their hearing devices.

One mother, who preferred not to be named, describes the situation of the stranded families in Amman as 'suspended between hope and pain,' as they demand their children's natural right to hearing and return to their homes. The families appealed to international and human rights organizations to intervene urgently to end this humanitarian crisis targeting a vulnerable group of children with hearing disabilities.

Documented testimonies indicate that the children are in a state of confusion, not understanding why they remain away from their homeland and relatives in Gaza despite the completion of their treatment. Mothers fear that the absence will be prolonged, especially since their hearts and minds are connected to their families who are living in difficult conditions inside the besieged Strip for many months.

The Jordanian Ministry of Social Development is currently hosting the stranded families in two hotels, providing them with basic care and accommodation while awaiting a solution to their crisis with the Israeli side. The women expressed their gratitude to Jordan, government and people, for the warm reception, affirming that they did not feel alienated given the humane treatment and great embrace they and their children received.

Official sources revealed that the occupation has consistently reneged on understandings regarding the return of patients, even though their departure was coordinated directly with international charitable organizations. The sources affirmed that the concerned parties will continue to care for these families and will not abandon them, with diplomatic efforts continuing to secure their dignified return with all their medical equipment.

Among the moving stories is that of the child Shams Badawi, who managed to return to Gaza, but her mother was forced to leave her phone and personal medicines at the crossing in exchange for allowing her daughter's device to enter. The mother said that the decision was painful but necessary, because losing any part of the device in Gaza means the child losing her sense of hearing due to the unavailability of spare parts inside the Strip.

Another child's mother, who recently returned, questioned the point of allowing them to travel for treatment if the occupation would prevent them from bringing in the necessary tools to complete this treatment. She described the return journey as extremely difficult, as soldiers even prevented the entry of biscuit pieces and small water bottles that were intended to feed the children during the long hours of waiting.

Experts warn that depriving these children of their devices will lead to the loss of everything they learned during their auditory and speech rehabilitation journey, returning them to square one. Gaza, under current conditions, lacks any maintenance centers or spare parts for these advanced devices, making the preservation of original accessories a matter of life or death for the children's future.

Appeals continue to be directed to the Red Cross and the World Health Organization to pressure the occupation authorities to stop the blackmail policy practiced against patients and children. The families affirm that what they are asking for is not a privilege, but a simple human right guaranteed by all international laws that prohibit harming patients or obstructing their access to necessary treatment.

The fate of 11 children and their families remains suspended in Jordan, watching the borders and hoping for a moment of crossing that will not deprive them of their right to hear the voices of their loved ones in Gaza. It is a silent cry launched by these children in the face of an international community that stands helpless in securing a safe return for patients who have committed no sin other than the desire to escape from a world of silence.

Either abandon the cochlear devices their children waited years to obtain, or remain away from Gaza, their families, and their homes.