Little Faces, Great Trials
AMMAN – Behind the ordinary façade of the Al-Fanar Hotel lies an extraordinary story: hundreds of children from Gaza fighting against life-threatening illnesses. They are not here for a holiday or a brief stay, but to survive after enduring waves of war and unimaginable wounds.
The Al-Fanar Hotel has become a temporary shelter for 126 children and their families from Gaza. Each family carries its own pain and heartbreaking story.
Mahmud Abdul Bara, the coordinator appointed by the Kingdom of Jordan to oversee Gaza patients, described their condition.
“In this hotel, there are 126 families. Most are cancer patients: leukemia, lymphoma, bone cancer, skin cancer, brain cancer, breast cancer, and even uterine cancer. They arrived gradually—some as long as a year and a half ago, and others just within the last three weeks,” he explained.
With tears in his eyes, Mahmud expressed deep gratitude to the people of Indonesia. He quoted the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): “The example of the believers in their mutual love, compassion, and empathy is like a single body; if one part of it suffers, the whole body feels the pain.”
“Yes, you are the best of brothers and the strongest supporters for us—whether inside Gaza, where our children are starving, or outside Gaza, where our children are displaced. Thank you to the people of Indonesia. We send you all our love and prayers from the bottom of our hearts,” Mahmud said.
It was here that DT Peduli brought a ray of hope. On Friday (22 August 2025), 350 direct cash aids—each worth 100 US dollars—were distributed to children from Gaza staying at Al-Fanar Hotel and four other locations: Antalia Hotel, Al-Isra Hospital, Ibn Haitsam Hospital, and Jubaiha Shelter. Around 700 children are being cared for across the five sites.
The aid was delivered by Muhammad Ihsan, Director of DT Peduli’s Community Service Division, who leads humanitarian programs under the Indonesian Zakat Institution (LAZ) DT Peduli.
During the distribution, Ihsan visited several children whose conditions would soften any heart.
He met Khalid, a boy whose leg was badly injured by a weapon during evacuation. His head had also been shaved due to cancer treatment. Ihsan leaned close and spoke gently, “Let us all pray that Allah lifts his illness. May he recover soon and one day become a great leader of Palestine.”
Not far away was Ilin, a little girl sitting weakly with a swollen abdomen, still undergoing diagnosis.
“May little Ilin be healed, return to school, and one day lead Palestine,” Ihsan prayed.
Then there was baby Muhammad Al Qitnan, only two months old, suffering from neuroblastoma cancer. Chemotherapy had left him bald, and a rare hormonal condition meant his hair may never grow. Ihsan tenderly stroked his head and whispered, “May Allah grant him recovery. May he grow up, go to school, and become a fighter for Palestine.”
These scenes were a stark reminder of the immense struggles these children face from such a young age. They not only endure the trauma of war but also fight against devastating illnesses consuming their small bodies.
A Proof of Love from Indonesia
In front of Gaza’s families, Ihsan affirmed that his presence carried a message of solidarity from the Indonesian people.
“Today, by God’s will, we are distributing aid to a total of 350 beneficiaries. This is a form of Indonesia’s compassion for our brothers and sisters in Gaza,” he said.
The assistance could not erase wounds or instantly cure disease, but it was a sign that their suffering had not gone unnoticed by the world.
“May this bring blessings, become righteous deeds, and provide new strength for the beneficiaries,” Ihsan added.
Mahmud Abdul Bara once again offered his heartfelt gratitude: “We pray that Allah blesses the people of Indonesia, multiplies your goodness, and always makes your hands generous,” he said.
Amid the quiet prayers whispered in the room, warmth filled the air. Though their bodies are fragile, the eyes of Gaza’s children still shine with hope.
The aid distributed by DT Peduli may be just a drop in the ocean of their needs, but for these families, it is like water to the thirsty—life-giving and strengthening. It is a reminder that their struggle is not in vain, that distant brothers and sisters care, and that a nation stands with them.
“May these children not only recover from illness but also rise, study, and one day become leaders who uplift their people,” Ihsan concluded.
At the Al-Fanar Hotel, suffering and hope walk hand in hand. Gaza’s children bear deep wounds, yet the caring hands from Indonesia bring a touch of comfort. Within every prayer and act of giving lies a message: that humanity, though separated by thousands of kilometres, is in truth one body—feeling, supporting, and strengthening one another.