ATHENS, Greece – Fifteen-year-old Raghad al-Fara is trying to rebuild her teenage life in Athens after being evacuated from Gaza following the 2023 war. Injured in a July 2024 Israeli bombing in Khan Younis, Raghad now moves around with crutches and suffers from severe psychological trauma.
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Evacuated with her mother Shadia and younger sister Argwan, Raghad is one of 10 minors with complex orthopedic and psychological injuries. Her right leg and back were crushed under rubble, leaving her bedridden for months and on a respirator for two. Despite medical care in Greece, she has yet to receive proper psychological support.
Her mother, a former hairdresser, criticized the Greek government for providing no financial assistance. “Greece took responsibility for us but then abandoned us,” Shadia said. Palestinian officials have requested that more injured Gazans be hosted, but they claim the conservative Greek government shows little political will.
Raghad Al Fara is struggling to rebuild her #teenage life in #Athens, not least because she now moves around with crutches because of injuries suffered in the #Gaza war.https://t.co/NEToc1S2qk pic.twitter.com/5VK1m83GhS
— Khaleej Times (@khaleejtimes) December 2, 2025
Another evacuee, 20-year-old Sara Al-Sweirki, arrived in Athens in September with her mother and brother. Accepted into the Deree American College of Greece, she plans to study psychology to help others recover from trauma. Sara emphasizes the importance of rebuilding a normal life and pursuing personal goals despite past hardships.
While solidarity for Palestinians among the Greek public remains strong, the government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has yet to recognize a Palestinian state. Families like the al-Faras continue to struggle with uncertainty as they try to integrate into Greek society while longing for loved ones still in Gaza.
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Shadia has enrolled her daughters in Greek schools, but worries remain for the three children left behind. “We cannot return to live under tents with the fear of bombings resuming,” she said. For Raghad and Sara, the focus is on survival, recovery, and finding hope in a life disrupted by war.