In a stunning turn of events, a 21-year-old Yazidi woman named Fawzia Amin Sido has been rescued from Gaza after a harrowing decade of captivity. Captured by ISIS as a child during their brutal assault on Sinjar, Iraq in August 2014, her journey traversed unimaginable hardships, but ultimately led to her salvation this week through a collaborative international effort involving the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the United States, and various NGOs.

Fawzia's plight began when ISIS executed countless Yazidi men and boys, subjecting women and girls to horrific acts of violence and trafficking. After her abduction, she endured a tumultuous odyssey across several countries. "We ended up in Al-Hol camp in Syria before we were smuggled to Idlib in 2019," she recounted to CNN. " I was then taken to Turkey, where they arranged a passport for me to fly from Istanbul to Hurghada, Egypt, and finally to Gaza."

Life in Gaza was anything but humane. Fawzia described a year spent in Rafah, plagued by incessant harassment from Hamas due to her Yazidi identity and her attempts to connect with her family. "They even formatted my phone during their investigations," she revealed. The environment became increasingly oppressive, as Hamas circumstantially relocated her in the wake of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict that reignited in 2023.

The turning point came on October 1, when, amidst chaos in Gaza, Fawzia was rescued by an NGO after her captor was reportedly killed during military strikes. "From there, American officials took me and helped return me to Baghdad," she said.

Emotional scenes unfolded upon her reunion with family members in Iraq, as they embraced her after years of separation. They were not alone in their relief; the Iraqi government played a crucial role in her liberation, collaborating with U.S. and Jordanian authorities over several months to bring her home. “We were contacted by the Iraqi government and asked to assist in bringing her back,” noted U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.

Fawzia's rescue shines a light on the ongoing plight of Yazidi survivors and the lingering impact of ISIS's atrocities. It raises awareness not just of Fawzia's ordeal but the many Yazidis still missing or trapped in cycles of violence and human trafficking. Her story is a testament to resilience and the enduring hope of families divided by war, leaving many to ponder: how many more lives can be saved?

This incredible account serves as a stark reminder of the historical and ongoing challenges faced by the Yazidi community and the importance of international cooperation in humanitarian efforts.