What it's like for 50,000 pregnant Palestinian women left with no healthcare in Gaza?

Around 50,000 pregnant Palestinian women in the besieged Gaza Strip have been unable to get prenatal care since the start of the war with more than 5,000 of them are to give birth this month.

Haneen Mousa sobs as she thinks about her current situation, which for the previous 12 days has felt like a nightmare from which she cannot awaken.

She has been evicted from her home in Jabalia, in the northern Gaza Strip, while three months pregnant and caring for two kids who are two and three years old, under the danger of a significant Israeli ground attack into the besieged enclave.

But Mousa has also been gripped by worry that the effects of the war, along with the added stress and incessant anxiety they have brought about, may cause her to miscarry.

She requires immediate medical attention because she has been having bleeding episodes. However, the majority of pregnant women in Gaza now find it practically impossible to access doctors and medical services due to Israel's relentless and brutal bombing campaign on Gaza.

"My emotional well-being has been profoundly affected. I'm overwhelmed by fear for my daughters and the unborn child in my womb. The tears seem uncontainable," she told Middle East Eye.

When Israel warned inhabitants to evacuate or risk Israeli airstrikes, hundreds of thousands of people fled from northern Gaza to the south, creating an increasingly "horrifying" situation. This is when Mousa managed to flee Jabalia.

At her parent's home in the al-Maghazi refugee camp, in the centre of the Gaza Strip, the 28-year-old mother has sought safety.

"The journey from my home to al-Maghazi was a harrowing experience. Children cried out in fear, men and women were in a state of panic, and it seemed as though they were disoriented, not knowing where to seek refuge," she said.

"Pregnancy hormones already substantially impact a mother's emotional well-being, but the ongoing war has intensified my distress."

People find it challenging to keep up with the situation on the ground because internet access is highly constrained. Mousa learned of the bombing of the clinic she used to go to for prenatal checkups via a radio broadcast.

As a result of Israel's military attack on Gaza's major telecom companies, communication in the enclave has been significantly hampered, making it difficult for her to reach an obstetrician and gynaecologist.

The bombing of their neighbor's home, according to Haneen, was the most terrifying experience she had so far encountered throughout the war.

"Thick black smoke engulfed our home, and the windows shattered. I couldn't see my daughters, but I could hear their terrified screams," she said, her voice shaking.

"We were forced to seek refuge in another neighbour's house far from ours.

"That particular night was the most intense experience of the war. More than 60 distressed women and children huddled together in the residence, which barely measured 150 square metres in size."

Mousa still doesn't feel safe even though she is now in the al-Maghazi camp with her parents. Bombs are still dropping all around them.

"To this day, I remain unaware of the gender of my unborn child, but I have decided to name the baby 'Salam,' which means peace in English, regardless of whether it is a boy or a girl," she said.

Trauma

Around 50,000 pregnant women in the Gaza Strip have not been able to obtain prenatal care since the war began on October 7, according to Adnan Radi, a doctor at al-Awda Hospital, who spoke to MEE.

"This has especially compounded the challenges faced by women with high-risk pregnancies," he said.

According to the Palestinian health and interior ministries, Israeli airstrikes have rendered inoperable 33 hospitals, clinics, and 23 ambulances. Israeli officials have also warned 22 hospitals to evacuate or risk being bombed.

"Since the start of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, I haven't left al-Awda hospital. Regrettably, only fewer than 10 pregnant women have managed to reach the hospital in the last 12 days," Radi said.

"Under normal circumstances, we would provide daily care to around 100 pregnant women."

Radi claimed that due to the bombardment, it has been nearly hard for women to go to clinics or hospitals and that many have been forced to give birth in dangerous settings, such as streets or cars.

"Some women have lost their unborn babies, and others have experienced serious complications, including uterine or cervical ruptures, internal bleeding, and placental abruption," he added.

Israel has effectively put Gaza under siege by cutting off gasoline and power and blocking the entry of medical supplies, putting the entire healthcare system in danger of disintegrating.

"We are confronted with a genuine tragedy. More than half of the casualties are innocent children and women, and the aftermath promises even more horrifying consequences," Radi said.

"The psychological trauma experienced by women will require decades to heal. Their ordeals are beyond comprehension."

'Constant state of anxiety'

The 26-year-old Shaima has entirely lost her appetite and is six months pregnant. She is suffering greatly from the severe stress, and as a result, she throws up right after every meal.

A three-year-old daughter's mother is "deeply terrified" by the airstrikes and the sight of black smoke coming from missile strikes outside her window.

"I'm in a constant state of anxiety," Shaima said, "My most profound fear is the possibility of losing my unborn child."

She has had mysterious bleeding ever since the war began, but she is too afraid to leave her house to see a doctor to determine the severity of her condition.

Shaima longs to get back to her quiet daily routine of waking up, making her daughter breakfast, and spending time with her.

She is now more concerned that Jehan does not get enough sleep and frequently wakes up weeping.

"I'm making an effort to remain resilient and composed, not only for the well-being of the baby I'm carrying, but also to shield my daughter, Jehan, from fear."

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