Gaza karate champion who lost leg in Israeli strike transferred to Egypt

Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza

The Palestinian karate champion who lost her leg in an Israeli strike last month has been transferred to Egypt, where she remains in a coma and a critical condition, her father told media on Tuesday.

Nagham Abu Samra reached Egypt on Sunday after a perilous journey in which she almost died.

Her father Marwan Abu Samra described the harrowing experience accompanying his unconscious daughter to safety.

The plan was to move Ms Abu Samra from the intensive care unit of Al Aqsa Martyr’s Hospital in Deir Al Balah, central Gaza, to the southern border and then across into Egypt.

With all of Gaza’s hospitals destroyed or damaged, reaching medical care in Egypt was the only chance of survival for his eldest and only living daughter.

Mr Abu Samra, had lost his wife to cancer, and his other daughter, Rosanne, was killed in the Israeli air strike that wounded Nagham on December 18.

But on Sunday, he was set to accompany her from the hospital, across to Egypt, where she would remain until she is stable enough to transport abroad for further treatment.

Speaking to media from Bier Elabd hospital in the Egyptian city of El Arish, Mr Abu Samra says he is still unable to relax, despite the fact that he and his daughter are now safe from the Israeli strikes that have hit Al Aqsa hospital in recent days and caused several international organisations to pull their teams out.

“Just like I’ve been sleeping outside Al Aqsa [hospital] in my car since Nagham’s injury, I’ve been sleeping on a wooden chair outside her room in Bier Elabd.”

He said he is still processing the harrowing journey he took with Nagham to the border.

Nagham, who is on a ventilator, was at risk of succumbing to her injuries while en route to Egypt, Mr Abu Samra said.