Israel-Gaza War- Heart-wrenching tale of 28-year-old pregnant mother who walked miles to hospital to give birth to quadruplets

Israel-Gaza War: Heart-wrenching tale of 28-year-old pregnant mother who walked miles to hospital to give birth to quadruplets

Amidst the harrowing conflict that has ravaged Gaza, Iman al-Masry, a 28-year-old mother, shared a heart-wrenching tale of giving birth to quadruplets amidst chaos and displacement.

Iman’s journey began with a desperate escape from her home in northern Gaza’s Beit Hanun, fleeing the Israel-Hamas war with her three children on foot. They walked for five kilometers seeking refuge. Six months pregnant, the grueling journey took a toll on her health, affecting her pregnancy.

Never-ending hardships

Now residing in a cramped schoolroom-turned-shelter with her other three newborns in Deir al-Balah, their situation remains dire. Mohammed, unable to join them due to his fragility, lies in a hospital in Nuseirat refugee camp, weighing only one kilogram.

Iman, lying on a foam mattress in the shelter, recounts the unimaginable hardships faced during their escape. Her initial hopes of a brief war and a return home withered as the conflict persisted for over 11 weeks, rendering Gaza a desolate landscape of ruins.

But 10 days on “we have not even been able to bathe them”, she said, because of the difficulty of finding clear water in the devastated territory, where there is a dire shortage of basic food stuff, medicine and hygienic supplies such as diapers, AFP reported.

Her husband Ammar al-Masry, said he is devastated because he cannot provide for his family. “I feel helpless,” he said, surrounded by his six children in the foul-smelling schoolroom. “I fear for my children. I don’t know how to protect them,” he said, adding that he spends most of his days outdoors searching for food.

Trail of destruction

The toll of the conflict is staggering. UN estimates report that 1.9 million Palestinians are internally displaced, while casualties continue to mount. The AFP report tallied around 1,140 deaths, predominantly civilians. Additionally, Palestinian militants have taken hostages, heightening the already fraught situation.

The conflict, sparked by an attack on Israel by Hamas, led to a relentless Israeli response, including bombardment and a siege, causing immeasurable destruction and loss. Gaza’s health ministry reports a death toll of at least 21,110, with a significant number being women and children.

(With inputs from agencies)