Rob Schmitz
Appearances
Consider This from NPR
Never give up - one Gaza boy's story of trying to survive in Gaza
Nearly 40,000. That's the United Nations estimate for the number of children who have been killed or injured since Israel began its war with Hamas some 18 months ago.
Consider This from NPR
Never give up - one Gaza boy's story of trying to survive in Gaza
It's Consider This from NPR. A year ago, NPR Gaza producer Anas Baba and I reported a story about Nimr Saadi al-Nimr, an 11-year-old boy who had been shot five times by the Israeli military while he and his father were gathering food dropped by parachute outside Gaza City.
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Never give up - one Gaza boy's story of trying to survive in Gaza
Israeli soldiers took Nimr across the border into Israel where doctors performed two surgeries on him, saving his life before returning Nimr to a refugee camp in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. That's where Anas Baba found Nimr a year ago. He was in a makeshift tent with his grandmother and uncle, crying out in pain from his wounds, as you can hear in our report from April of 2024. No, I can't!
Consider This from NPR
Never give up - one Gaza boy's story of trying to survive in Gaza
Nimmer is in pain. It comes in waves. He's just had surgery on his stomach, back, legs, and hand to remove bullets. Each left long incision wounds lined with stitches and dried pus. Flies are drawn to them. When he takes too deep of a breath, his skinny frame convulses uncontrollably like an electric shock shooting through him.
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Never give up - one Gaza boy's story of trying to survive in Gaza
He cries out for drugs that will numb the pain, but there are none here. After this story aired a year ago, we lost track of Nimr. We didn't know if he was alive or dead. But this past week, Anas Baba found Nimr, who is now 12, thankfully alive, but still suffering from his wounds and the toll of the war in Gaza. Anas joins me now from Gaza. Hello, Anas. How are you? Hello, Rob.
Consider This from NPR
Never give up - one Gaza boy's story of trying to survive in Gaza
That's pediatrician Seema Jalani in a voice memo she recorded while volunteering in an emergency room of a Gaza hospital in late 2023. She was talking about an 11-year-old girl burned in an explosion.
Consider This from NPR
Never give up - one Gaza boy's story of trying to survive in Gaza
Anas, I want you to tell me about Nimr. Where is he now and how is he doing?
Consider This from NPR
Never give up - one Gaza boy's story of trying to survive in Gaza
Yeah, that is a miracle, given what Gaza has gone through in this past year. Here's a portion of your interview with Nimer about the lasting impact of his gunshot wounds a year ago. And Nimr is telling you here that after he had a surgical procedure to deaden his nerve endings, he still cannot run, he cannot play soccer or even walk very far.
Consider This from NPR
Never give up - one Gaza boy's story of trying to survive in Gaza
He says he still has an electric shock feeling when he accidentally bumps his leg and that it often makes him cry. He's saying here that he mostly stays inside. When he does go outside, he says he sees his friends playing and running, and he feels jealous. He says, I'm afraid they'll make fun of me for not being able to run. Anas, that is really sad to hear that.
Consider This from NPR
Never give up - one Gaza boy's story of trying to survive in Gaza
I remember Nimr's favorite sport is soccer. I remember Lionel Messi is his hero. So this must be particularly tough on him. It's been a year since you last saw Nimr. And I understand that he's been in and out of makeshift field hospitals there in Gaza, constantly on the move, trying to evade Israeli missile attacks. How did he manage to survive the past year? Yeah.
Consider This from NPR
Never give up - one Gaza boy's story of trying to survive in Gaza
Honest, did you just say that he was at a house where a hostage extraction took place by the Israeli military?
Consider This from NPR
Never give up - one Gaza boy's story of trying to survive in Gaza
My gosh. And Anas, we should mention here the Israeli Defense Forces maintained at the time that less than 100 Gazans were killed in its hostage extraction operation. And he saw that and he managed to survive that.
Consider This from NPR
Never give up - one Gaza boy's story of trying to survive in Gaza
I'm reminded here that when you found Nimer last year in that refugee tent in Rafah, he hadn't seen his parents since he was shot and nearly killed. Tell me about how he was able to be reunited with them.
Consider This from NPR
Never give up - one Gaza boy's story of trying to survive in Gaza
Shortly after Dr. Jelani left Gaza, she spoke to NPR's Ari Shapiro about what it felt like to be a pediatrician in a war zone.
Consider This from NPR
Never give up - one Gaza boy's story of trying to survive in Gaza
So, Anas, let's go to your interview with Nimmer about the moment he was reunited with his family. And Nimr is saying here that the joy he felt when he saw his mother, father, and family again was beyond words. He says everyone was crying, and he hugged his mother tightly, not letting go. His entire extended family was there, too. Here's where Nimr's story takes a bit of a turn.
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Never give up - one Gaza boy's story of trying to survive in Gaza
Anas, you've learned that Nimr's parents have since divorced. Tell me about that.
Consider This from NPR
Never give up - one Gaza boy's story of trying to survive in Gaza
So what you're saying here is that his family was saying, look, we were targeted because never you spoke to the media, including our outlet, NPR. And that was their belief of what happened, that they were targeted for this. Is that is that what you're saying?
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Never give up - one Gaza boy's story of trying to survive in Gaza
Wow. Honest, we should mention here, the human rights organization Mazan confirmed the details of this attack on the residents of the Nimr family. In a text to NPR, the Israel Defense Forces wrote, quote, the IDF follows international law and takes feasible precautions to mitigate civilian harm.
Consider This from NPR
Never give up - one Gaza boy's story of trying to survive in Gaza
Honest, I think this illuminates at least the perception among people in Gaza, whether true or not, that media coverage can endanger the lives of citizens and it can lead to stress for families after family members speak to journalists, as we've seen in Nimra's case.
Consider This from NPR
Never give up - one Gaza boy's story of trying to survive in Gaza
Anas, were people hurt or killed in that attack on the Nima residents?
Consider This from NPR
Never give up - one Gaza boy's story of trying to survive in Gaza
Wow. You know, there are many lessons that we can all learn from Nimer's story. You asked Nimer what lessons about life he's learned from the past year of trying to survive in Gaza, and here's what he said. I learned, said Nimr, that extreme hunger makes people do things they never thought they would ever do. Nimr says he, for example, ran to a very dangerous place just to find food.
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Never give up - one Gaza boy's story of trying to survive in Gaza
He says another lesson he's learned is that even if they shoot at us, whether we're young or old, we should never give up. Anas, you also asked Nimr about his future, his dreams, and if he sees a future for Gaza. And his answer was darker.
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Never give up - one Gaza boy's story of trying to survive in Gaza
Gaza will never have a future. He goes on to say that he has dreams just like everyone else, but that the Israeli military has destroyed all of their dreams. He says nobody in his family has been untouched by this war. Anas, I think it's worth reminding our listeners that we are listening to the words of a 12-year-old child. What's going to happen to children like Nimer in the future?
Consider This from NPR
Never give up - one Gaza boy's story of trying to survive in Gaza
The last thing I wanted to ask you on is, you know, because Nimr is still a child, I wanted you to ask him about his thoughts on school. You know, Nimr has not been to school since October of 2023. Here's what he told you. And he's saying here, I miss school so much. I miss my friends. I miss learning. I miss writing. I just want to see my friends again and to play with them again.
Consider This from NPR
Never give up - one Gaza boy's story of trying to survive in Gaza
But the war continues. What, he asks, can we do? Anas, I want to thank you for all of your reporting from Gaza. You've brought us so many stories like this one, and they're very, very important for all of us to hear. Thank you, Anas. Thank you, Rob. That's NPR Gaza producer Anas Baba joining us from Gaza. This episode was produced by Kira Wakim, Erica Ryan, and Anas Baba.
Consider This from NPR
Never give up - one Gaza boy's story of trying to survive in Gaza
It was edited by Adam Rainey, James Heider, and Courtney Dorney. Our executive producer is Sammy Yennegan. It's Consider This from NPR. I'm Rob Schmitz.
Consider This from NPR
Never give up - one Gaza boy's story of trying to survive in Gaza
Consider this. Gaza's children have been on the front lines of the war between Israel and Hamas. They have been killed, they have been injured, and their society has disintegrated under the weight of the conflict. Coming up, we hear from one young boy trying to recover from his wounds and find a way forward. From NPR, I'm Rob Schmitz.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 11-07-2024 4PM EST
The suspect, an American man whom prosecutors have identified simply as Martin D., keeping the German tradition of withholding a suspect's surname, had worked for the U.S. military in Germany up until recently. Prosecutors say that earlier this year he contacted Chinese officials and offered to give them sensitive information belonging to the U.S. military.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 11-07-2024 4PM EST
An investigation into the suspect's activities was conducted in close coordination with Germany's domestic intelligence agency, and the man was arrested in the city of Frankfurt while authorities searched his apartment. Rob Schmitz, NPR News, Berlin.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 01-31-2025 3PM EST
Friedrich Merz, the leader of the center-right Christian Democratic Union Party, is cooperating with the Alternative for Germany Party, or AFD, on a parliamentary motion to restrict immigration into the country. The move is being criticized because the AFD is considered to be an extremist party that is under domestic surveillance for the threat it poses to Germany's democracy.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 01-31-2025 3PM EST
When the AFD first gained popularity a decade ago, Merz's party and Germany's other mainstream parties made a pact to never cooperate with the AFD. Merz insists he wouldn't govern with the AFD, but his move to cooperate legislatively with the party has attracted criticism from Chancellor Olaf Scholz and former Chancellor Angela Merkel. Rob Schmitz, NPR News, Berlin.
Up First from NPR
Federal Worker Confusion, European Leaders In DC, German Election, Greenpeace Lawsuit
Well, for the most part, it was the struggling German economy. Scholz's government collapsed over a dispute about how to revive it. But it was also Scholz himself who's been the problem for voters. His slow, methodical approach to governing did not suit the chaotic times that Europe is in with a war on European soil and an economic downturn.
Up First from NPR
Federal Worker Confusion, European Leaders In DC, German Election, Greenpeace Lawsuit
You know, these challenges require decisive action, and his three-party coalition government had a difficult time rising to the occasion.
Up First from NPR
Federal Worker Confusion, European Leaders In DC, German Election, Greenpeace Lawsuit
Well, Scholz's center-left Social Democrats will likely remain in the government, but it's the center-right Christian Democrats under Friedrich Merz that will be in the driver's seat now, and Merz seems ready to move fast. He wants a government formed by mid-April, which is very quick for Germany, and he says he has big plans.
Up First from NPR
Federal Worker Confusion, European Leaders In DC, German Election, Greenpeace Lawsuit
He said last night that his number one priority is to strengthen Europe as quickly as possible so that it can achieve independence from the United States. He went on to say, I never thought I'd be saying this, but after Donald Trump's statements last week, it's clear the Americans, or at least this administration, is indifferent to the fate of Europe.
Up First from NPR
Federal Worker Confusion, European Leaders In DC, German Election, Greenpeace Lawsuit
I want to point out here that Germany has long considered the U.S. as its most important ally, so this is truly an astonishing statement from an incoming German chancellor.
Up First from NPR
Federal Worker Confusion, European Leaders In DC, German Election, Greenpeace Lawsuit
No, you know, Germany's parties in the political center have vowed never to govern with AFD, the party's acronym in German. The AFD is under domestic surveillance for the threat it poses to Germany's democracy, and its members routinely trivialize German atrocities in World War II.
Up First from NPR
Federal Worker Confusion, European Leaders In DC, German Election, Greenpeace Lawsuit
Last night, Merz derided the AFD, saying it was not interested in real solutions and that the AFD is happy to see Germany's problems get worse. He also criticized the AFD for its cozy relationship with Elon Musk.
Up First from NPR
Federal Worker Confusion, European Leaders In DC, German Election, Greenpeace Lawsuit
Well, the party's co-chair, Alice Weidel, said Merz's incoming government will not last long. Here's what she said. So she's saying here Merz won't be able to form a stable government without the AFD and that he will face the consequences when his government crashes and fails. But will Merz have a stable government? So I posed that question to the U.S. German Marshall Fund's Suda David Wilp.
Up First from NPR
Federal Worker Confusion, European Leaders In DC, German Election, Greenpeace Lawsuit
Here's what she said.
Up First from NPR
Federal Worker Confusion, European Leaders In DC, German Election, Greenpeace Lawsuit
So she said what this means is that Merz's incoming government will need to move toward the right to address voter concerns like migration and a slowing German economy. And it's clear Germans really care about these things because voter turnout was 84 percent. That is the highest turnout since Germany's reunification in 1990. That's NPR's Rob Schmitz. Rob, thanks.
Up First from NPR
Plane Crash Latest, German Far Right, Nuclear Testing
So this all started with a parliamentary motion to restrict immigration from Friedrich Merz. He's the head of the Christian Democratic Union, a center-right party that's ahead in the polls and will likely win the most votes in Germany's election next month. And that means Merz will likely be Germany's next chancellor.
Up First from NPR
Plane Crash Latest, German Far Right, Nuclear Testing
Well, he brought forth a motion to further restrict immigration to Germany, and this comes on the heels of recent deadly attacks committed by migrants. Now, on the face of it, there was nothing off about Merz's motion in Parliament about this, but it was how he was going to pass this motion that really upset much of Parliament and many Germans.
Up First from NPR
Plane Crash Latest, German Far Right, Nuclear Testing
Well, none of the mainstream parties were interested in voting with Merz's party on this proposal. But there was one party that was very keen to join him, and that's the AFD, the Alternative for Germany Party, which is considered by Germany's political establishment as an extremist right-wing party. The AFD has advocated deporting all Germans with a migration background.
Up First from NPR
Plane Crash Latest, German Far Right, Nuclear Testing
Some of its members use Nazi slogans. And the party is under domestic surveillance for the threat that it poses to Germany's democracy.
Up First from NPR
Plane Crash Latest, German Far Right, Nuclear Testing
Yeah, that's right. And since World War II, there's been a consensus among Germany's mainstream political parties that extremist parties must never be allowed in government again. And when the AfD first gained popularity a decade ago, Merz's party and Germany's other mainstream parties made a path to never cooperate with the AfD. This was called the firewall.
Up First from NPR
Plane Crash Latest, German Far Right, Nuclear Testing
But now Merz is signaling that he's open to cooperating with the AfD on this immigration motion. And here's how he defended his decision. And he's saying here that the right decision does not become wrong because the wrong people have made it. The decision, he said, is still right.
Up First from NPR
Plane Crash Latest, German Far Right, Nuclear Testing
Lots of anger. As Merz defended himself, a yelling match began in Parliament and Chancellor Olaf Scholz finally took the podium. Here's what he said. Schultz said that three weeks ago, Merz promised never to cooperate with the AFD and voters trusted him. What are these words worth now, he asked.
Up First from NPR
Plane Crash Latest, German Far Right, Nuclear Testing
Former Chancellor Angela Merkel, who's in the same party as Merz, also has criticized him for doing this.
Up First from NPR
Plane Crash Latest, German Far Right, Nuclear Testing
Well, there is an election in a few weeks and it's possible Merz is cooperating with the AFD on immigration because up to now, the AFD has owned this issue and it's led to high poll numbers. They're now in second place and Elon Musk has recently come out to support them.
Up First from NPR
Plane Crash Latest, German Far Right, Nuclear Testing
So the logic goes if Merz's party can steal some of that spotlight, perhaps he can chip into that support and take some of those voters to his party. But many are blaming him for playing a dangerous game with Germany's democracy on this.