On May 11, Dan Cohen reported on how the the Najjar family is one of many families in the Gaza village of Khuza’a are being forced to live in shipping containers because reconstruction has not yet begun following last summer’s Israeli assault. Here is a follow-up on one member of the Najjar family who is not able to receive medicine due to the siege on Gaza. 

Two-and-a-half-year-old Ahmad Najjar’s condition is a result of Phenylketonuria (PKU), a hereditary disease that causes phenylalanine to build up in the body that can inhibit mental and physical development. He is one of 700 children in the Gaza Strip who suffer from this disorder.

PKU can have dire consequences if left untreated. Ahmad Najjar’s 15-year-old cousin, who has the same name, and his younger brother, Rayan, 2, are both afflicted with the disease. 15-year-old Ahmad was never treated and PKU has stunted his mental and physical development.

– Read more: Siege on Gaza Prevents Children from Receiving Needed Medical Formula – Mondoweiss