Iman Al-Masry, a Palestinian living in the Gaza Strip, gave birth to quadruplets in the middle of the war. She currently lives in a school in Deir el-Balah, in the center of the territory, with three of her children, with the fourth under medical supervision in a hospital 7 km away.
Like 1.9 million displaced people, the young mother had to flee the fighting between Hamas and Israel from October 7th, according to the UN. “I only took some summer clothes for my children,” the 29-year-old told AFP. “I thought the war wouldn't last more than a week or two and we would go home. »
An infant in hospital care
She was six months pregnant and walked five kilometers with her three young children to reach the Jabaliya camp, where she found transport to Deir el-Balah. The situation worsened her health and when she was eight months pregnant, doctors decided to induce labor. Iman Al-Masry gave birth to her quadruplets on December 18th.
Amid the bombings, the Palestinian woman cannot even recover from the birth of her child. Due to a lack of space in hospitals, she had to abandon one of her newborns who needed medical monitoring. “It only weighs a kilo. He may not survive,” explains the young mother, who has not seen her child since birth. “I'm worried about him, but the path is dangerous [pour aller le voir]. »
A little girl suffering from jaundice
Due to her nutritional deficiencies, she cannot even breastfeed adequately. She also lacks hygiene products for her babies. “I use diapers sparingly,” she explains. “The situation is difficult and that's why I just alternate mornings and evenings. » For his part, the young woman's 33-year-old father and husband says he feels “powerless”.
One of her premature babies suffers from jaundice, which can lead to neurological damage. “She has to be breastfed to relieve the disease and my wife has to eat foods that contain proteins,” despairs the father, who spends his days outside trying to find “something” to feed her.