Seven-year-old Sama Tabeel wakes up every day with tears in her eyes, devastated by the loss of her hair due to the ongoing war in Gaza. Once proud of her beautiful hair, she now gazes into her mirror, longing for it to return. "Will my hair ever come back?" she asks, her heart heavy with sadness.

Sama's hair began falling out after an explosion near her family’s home in Rafah six months ago. Forced to flee to a hospital, the family thought they’d find safety, but the hospital was bombed, and Sama’s hair started to fall out shortly after. In just a few days, she lost almost 80% of it, leaving her bald. With no treatment available in Gaza, Sama's mother struggles to comfort her, telling her she will regain her hair soon, even though she knows there’s no solution.

Sama’s birthday is on October 5, and she hopes to have her hair back by then, so she can celebrate with her friends. "If not this year, maybe next year when the war ends," she says, her voice full of hope despite the trauma she faces. Like many other children in Gaza, Sama is suffering not just from the war’s violence, but from its lasting impact on her health and spirit.