Ayoub Junaid's broken glasses go viral, revealing Gaza's collapsing eye care

A fall that went viral

Ayoub Junaid, who lives in a tent camp near Gaza City's port, has suffered from severe vision loss since a high fever at age two. On a road covered with debris at the end of April, he tripped and fell face-first. His thick lenses shattered, and with them his only connection to the world. In a video posted by his mother, Eman Junaid, the boy sobs while trying to piece the broken glasses together. "How can I fix this? How can I see now?" he asks.

The footage spread across social media. One version amassed more than 50 million views. For three or four days after the fall, Ayoub refused to leave the tent, moving only by crawling and pressing his face close to the ground to orient himself.

Help me to see. I want to see like the other children.

Temporary relief, permanent need

Online donors responded after the video went viral, and Ayoub received a new pair of glasses. His mother Eman, however, said the prescription is still wrong. His retinal damage, corneal injuries, and neurological complications that affect focus require urgent specialist surgery. Doctors have warned that any further trauma could cause irreparable retinal damage and permanent blindness.

My son fell while walking and his glasses broke. He cannot see without them. Please help me.

Eye care collapse in numbers

The only public eye-care centre in Gaza is closed after Israeli bombardment. Hussam Dawoud, who heads the hospital, says they can provide only 60 percent of pre-war services, citing Israeli restrictions on medical and surgical equipment imports. Israel's Defense Ministry told The Guardian that there are no limits on trucks carrying medical supplies and that Israel works to facilitate all necessary equipment.

Across the Strip, more than 4,000 people are waiting for eye surgery, including over 2,800 for cataract operations. About 4,000 children are awaiting evacuation for treatment abroad. Giorgio Monti, a medical coordinator for the NGO Emergency, said that 18,500 people in Gaza have been waiting months for evacuation. At least 1,268 Gazans have died while waiting for exit authorization.

"40 percent of patients are under 14"

Forty percent of the patients we see are younger than 14.

Surgeon Irdi Memaj's figure highlights the toll on children. The collapse of ophthalmology mirrors a broader collapse of Gaza's health system. Essential medicines are scarce or unavailable because of blocked aid deliveries, according to Emergency. Ayoub's story, captured in moments of raw despair, has become a symbol of the silent tragedies unfolding daily.