Age is just a number in Gaza's Strip, no matter how old or young one is; they all have to go through the same passage of cruelty of the Israeli occupation.
Khaled Naser is a 16 year old young man from Rafah which is a town in Gaza Strip near the Egyptian border.
Khaled, like most of his Palestinian peers, lived through the difficult times during the Israeli occupation and put a brave face on his young soul.
The Israeli occupation that started in July 2007 has blocked Gaza Strip from any contact with the outside world, and deprived Gaza from electricity, water and sewage networks.
On December 12th, fifteen days before the current Israeli invasion, Khaled was hanging out with three of his friends, Ramzi (20 years old), Omar (12 years old) and Hani (17 years old) right in front of Khaled's House when an Israeli armed drone exploded.
"Three of my friends were martyred before my eyes after the explosion. I will never forget such a scene," Khaled said.
"I tried to stand on my feet but I couldn't. I saw my bones peaking out of my exposed flesh in my left foot. I lost a part of my index finger in my left hand," he said.
Israel's air, naval and ground offensive on Gaza, which began on December 27, killed more than 1300 people, including 410 children, 108 women and 118 elders.
The World Health Organization says Gaza's hospitals were "completely overwhelmed" during the Israel assault, with only a total of 2,000 hospital beds in Gaza, but more than 5,400 people injured.
Khaled was taken to the European Hospital in Khan Younis southern Gaza Strip where he was initially treated for the complex fractures he had in his left leg.
"The doctors had to take skin from his right leg to cover the skin loss on his left leg," Mr. Naser, Khaled's father, said.
Khaled was then transferred through Rafah's Border Crossing to Arish's airport where he was transferred by a Saudi medical evacuation aircraft to King Abdulaziz Medical City at National Guard Health Affairs in Riyadh.
Khaled underwent surgery where his left leg and thigh were fixated and his wounds were treated as well as his left hand. Then he will undergo plastic surgery for the skin loss he has.
"Khaled will need about 6 months of physical therapy; he will be able to walk again but with the help of crutches for the time being," Dr. Abdullah Al Turki, Khaled's orthopedics surgeon, said.
Khaled and his father Mr. Naser expressed their thanks and gratitude to the people whom were kind and helpful most of all King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.
"We are visited daily by our bothers from Saudi people who have offered their support to Khaled since we came to the hospital," Mr. Naser said.