Alen's Hope: A Mother's Sacrifice in Gaza's Conflict

Before the war on Gaza began, we were a happy family living the best days of our lives. I was expecting the birth of my little daughter in a few months. Then the war started, and everything turned into rubble and smoke. My husband and I always tried to protect our three children, moving from house to house under the sounds of shelling and aircraft fire. We were exhausted and hungry, barely eating anything. Everything was extremely difficult.

I couldn't monitor my baby's growth inside me, nor could I get prenatal care. The days continued with fleeing and displacement. Then the day of delivery came; it was a tense time, as the hospital was bombed. I left with my baby in the early morning hours. Afterwards, I lost the ability to walk; there were no doctors in Gaza as the hospitals had been destroyed by the Israeli army.

I had no choice but to leave my husband, children, and my newborn daughter Alin. I went to Rafah for treatment, and it ended with the necessity of amputating my toes. I had to travel to Egypt for further treatment, alone without my family. Three months passed, away from my newborn daughter.

Now, after the amputation surgery, I still cannot walk, and my little family cannot travel to Egypt. I am still at the beginning of the journey. I need your help to complete my treatment and to rescue my children from death in Gaza.

قبل بداية الحرب على غزة كنا عائلة سعيدة نعيش اجمل ايام حياتنا كنت انتظر ولادة طفلتي الصغيرة بعد بضعة أشهر

ثم بدأت الحرب تحول كل شيء الى ركام ودخان كنت دائما انا وزوجي نحاول حماية اطفالنا ةالثلاثة فكنا نتنقل من بيت الي بيت تحت اصوات القصف ونيران الطائرات

أصابنا التعب والجوع كنا بالكاد نأكل

كل شيء كان صعب للغاية

لم أستطع متابعة نمو طفلتي داخل احشائي لم استطع الحصول ع رعاية الحمل واستمرت الايام هروب ونزوح

حتى جاء يوم الولادة كانت ساعات عصبية تعرض المستشفى للقصف خرجت مع طفلتي في ساعات الصباح

بعدها فقدت القدرة على المشي لم يكن اطباء في غزة حيث المستشفيات دمرها الجيش الاسرائيلي

لم يكن امامي خيار تركت زوجي واطفالي والطفلة الرضيعة ألين

ذهبت الى رفح للعلاج وانتهى الامر بضرورة بتر أصابع القدمين فاضطرت للسفر الى مصر لاستكمال العلاج ايضا لوحدي بدون عائلتي

مرت ثلاثة اشهر بعيدة عن طفلتي الرضيعة

الان بعد اجراء عملية البتر ما زالت لا استطيع المشي ولا تستطيع عائلتي الصغيرة السفر الى مصر

ما زلت في بداية الطريق انا بحاجة لمساعدتكم لاستكمال

علاجي واخراج اطفالي وانقاذهم من الموت هناك في غزة

"What you have read was a summary of my story, and you can read it in full below."

On that morning, it was supposed to be a beautiful day. It was my first day at work as a science teacher at a school in northern Gaza. My three children, my husband, and I all woke up and got ready to leave the house. But events began to unfold in a terrifying way that day. None of us left the house; we stayed together, waiting to face our dark fate.

Days passed, and the struggle intensified more and more. Eventually, we were asked to evacuate from the northern part of the Gaza Strip to the south, but we insisted on staying. Our journey of displacement within northern Gaza began, from one house to another, from one street to another, under the sounds of bombing and artillery shells. At that time, my husband, my children, and I kept repeating, "Either we die together or we live together." I always prayed to God to protect my small family and deliver them from harm, especially my little daughter growing inside me.

Our suffering continued as we fled from death, trying to escape the bombings, hunger, and disease. I couldn't afford to continue prenatal care with my private doctor or buy the necessary pregnancy vitamins. When the time for my delivery came, I went to the maternity complex, which was operating in an emergency state with minimal facilities. The birth took place under the light of a flashlight, without heating in the delivery room, and without any sterilization, amidst the sounds of bombings and artillery shells falling nearby. Yet, I gave birth to a beautiful, innocent girl whom I named Alen. I rejoiced in her, thanking God for sparing us from death in that cold room. I left the complex less than 8 hours later without receiving any postnatal care or even checking on my own health.

Back at the home we evacuated to with my husband and children, they all tried to provide proper food for the breastfeeding mother. However, my daughter's milk supply was low due to insufficient nutrition. Three days passed until my life took a turn for the worse. I developed complications after childbirth and couldn't walk on my feet anymore. I went to the hospital, and after many tests, it was revealed that I had blockages in the arteries supplying blood to my toes, leading to what is called dry gangrene. Due to the dire conditions in Gaza hospitals, they could only keep me hospitalized for ten days before I had to leave. During that time, I was away from my children and that little Alen. I returned to them unable to walk or attend to their needs, immobilized and helpless. Tears were all I had, even my baby girl got used to the bottle and refused breastfeeding.

This situation persisted for another six days until my family decided to take me to the city of Rafah, where the European Hospital was located, to continue my medical treatment. It was the hardest day of my life as I bid farewell to my husband and four children with tears, pain, and exhaustion, not knowing when I would reunite with them. Leaving northern Gaza meant an unknown fate and an uncertain return. I said goodbye to them, uncertain of when we would meet again.

Accompanied by my brother and sister, I crossed the Israeli army checkpoint from Rashid Street until I reached the European Hospital. After numerous tests, the doctors confirmed the necessity of amputating all ten toes, but it couldn't be done there due to the hospital's conditions and contamination. Therefore, I was referred for treatment abroad. After a month, I left Gaza to complete the treatment, and indeed, the amputation surgery took place. As I write my story at this moment, I continue to undergo successive stages of treatment, unable to walk, still needing further operations on my feet after the amputation, and the fitting of prosthetic limbs.

All this while being away from my husband, my children, and that little one who breaks my heart with her absence. I don't know when I'll be able to see them again. Every day is frightening at the thought of losing them there in Gaza, amidst the bombing and destruction. Our modest financial situation doesn't allow them to leave. We're trying to raise money to get them out for their safety and education, until this violent war ends. And I also need funds to continue my treatment abroad. The road is long, and the need is urgent.

This story isn't just about a suffering family; it's a story of hope and solidarity. In these challenging times, people unite to help each other and those in dire need. The support and solidarity offered by others can make a huge difference in people's lives.

If you're ready to extend a helping hand and share hope with this family, now is the time. Let's unite to provide them with the support and assistance they need so they can receive the necessary treatment and be reunited with the injured wife and mother.

In addition to the hardships detailed in the previous story, it's important to note that the costs associated with travel and living expenses in Egypt amount to $20,000. This includes expenses for accommodation, transportation, medical care, and daily living essentials for the family while they undergo treatment and rehabilitation.

So not only are they grappling with the trauma of displacement, injury, and separation, but they also face the daunting financial burden of securing treatment abroad and sustaining themselves in a foreign country. This added expense further underscores the urgency of their situation and the critical need for support from compassionate individuals and organizations.

Adding to the already dire circumstances, it's worth mentioning that the family's home, where they used to live, has been destroyed and rendered uninhabitable due to the ongoing conflict. The destruction of their home adds another layer of devastation to their plight, leaving them homeless and without a safe haven to return to.

This loss further compounds their challenges, as they not only face the physical and emotional toll of injury and displacement but also the daunting task of rebuilding their lives from scratch. They are now not only in need of urgent medical care and financial support but also require assistance in finding shelter and a stable living environment for themselves and their children.

And this Photo of our child before and after the war..

In the face of such adversity, the family's resilience and determination to overcome these obstacles are truly commendable. Their story serves as a poignant reminder of the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable hardship and the power of compassion and solidarity to bring hope and healing in times of crisis.

In addition to the existing narrative, it's essential to highlight the deliberate targeting and destruction of essential supplies by depicting how during the conflict, Jewish forces burned the milk cans and diapers that were meant to assist the narrator's daughter, Alen, during the days of the massacre in Shifa Hospital. This act further exacerbates the family's struggles as they grapple with providing for their children's basic needs amidst the chaos and violence of the conflict.