September, Friday 20, 2024

Surviving Birth in the Midst of Shelling and Power Outages in Israel Gaza


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Jumana Emad, a resident of Gaza, was eagerly awaiting the arrival of her baby girl just one month ago. She was excitedly sharing pictures of her pregnant belly and had everything prepared for her birth. However, everything changed when Hamas killed over 1,400 people in Israel and took hundreds of hostages. Israel retaliated with airstrikes in Gaza, causing significant destruction and loss of life. In the midst of this chaos, Jumana went into labor, facing constant shelling and fear. She had to leave her home and seek shelter with a relative, taking only essential items for herself and her daughter. She described the difficult conditions she faced, including power outages, internet disruptions, and water shortages. When it came time to give birth, Jumana initially planned to go to a larger hospital in Gaza City but was informed it was overwhelmed. Instead, she went to a smaller hospital in Nuseirat, but even getting there was a challenge. Taxi drivers were afraid, and ambulances were preoccupied with other emergencies. Jumana described the hours of labor as terrifying, with intense shelling and injured people arriving at the hospital. Despite the chaos, she successfully gave birth to a baby girl named Talia. However, there was no available bed for Jumana, and she had to wait while in pain and bleeding. The situation in Gaza's hospitals is dire, with the United Nations Population Fund estimating there are around 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza, and hospitals running low on supplies and medicine. After Jumana left the hospital with her baby, she faced further challenges in finding transportation back to her accommodation. Jumana admits that giving birth under such difficult circumstances has taken a toll on her mental and physical well-being. However, she is grateful for her new baby girl, who brings hope into her life during times of war and death. Jumana dreams of celebrating her daughter's birth in better times, but for now, she remains uncertain about what the future holds for her family.