Noura, a 26-year-old Palestinian woman, is reeling from the loss of her pregnancy and the frozen embryos she had stored in anticipation of starting a family. After a long and hopeful journey through IVF, Noura was elated to learn she was pregnant in July 2023. She and her husband, Mohamed, excitedly preserved additional embryos at the Al-Basma Fertility Centre in Gaza City, looking forward to welcoming more children in the future. However, their dreams were shattered when Israel's military offensive began on October 7, 2023, following a violent escalation initiated by Hamas, which resulted in significant casualties on both sides.
"The military actions destroyed my hopes," Noura explained. She and her family found themselves in a constant state of displacement, struggling without access to proper healthcare, medication, or nutrition essential for her pregnancy. Tragically, during her seventh month, Noura experienced a severe hemorrhage and was forced to be taken to the hospital in a garbage truck, ultimately resulting in the loss of her twins.
Moreover, shortly after, the Al-Basma Fertility Centre that housed nearly 4,000 frozen embryos was shelled in early December. Dr. Baha Ghalayini, the director of the clinic, expressed his anguish at the destruction, noting that multiple families have been left without the chance to conceive. "These are not just numbers; they are people's dreams," he stated, emphasizing that the destruction has affected many women who may never be able to undergo IVF treatments again due to age or health complications.
Despite inquiries made to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), responses remain vague, echoing their stance of operating under international law. Past reports from the UN have alleged that the attacks on fertility clinics were deliberate measures to prevent births among the Palestinian population, a claim that Israeli officials vehemently deny.
As reports indicate all nine fertility clinics in Gaza are either destroyed or non-functional, the emotional toll on women like Noura and Islam is profound. Both women are now left grappling with uncertainty for their futures and the dreams of motherhood that were so cruelly taken away amidst the chaos of war.
With reproductive healthcare access severely restricted and hopes dashed, many families across Gaza face an uncertain future, deeply affected by the ongoing conflict and its collateral damage on personal lives and dreams of growing families.
"The military actions destroyed my hopes," Noura explained. She and her family found themselves in a constant state of displacement, struggling without access to proper healthcare, medication, or nutrition essential for her pregnancy. Tragically, during her seventh month, Noura experienced a severe hemorrhage and was forced to be taken to the hospital in a garbage truck, ultimately resulting in the loss of her twins.
Moreover, shortly after, the Al-Basma Fertility Centre that housed nearly 4,000 frozen embryos was shelled in early December. Dr. Baha Ghalayini, the director of the clinic, expressed his anguish at the destruction, noting that multiple families have been left without the chance to conceive. "These are not just numbers; they are people's dreams," he stated, emphasizing that the destruction has affected many women who may never be able to undergo IVF treatments again due to age or health complications.
Despite inquiries made to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), responses remain vague, echoing their stance of operating under international law. Past reports from the UN have alleged that the attacks on fertility clinics were deliberate measures to prevent births among the Palestinian population, a claim that Israeli officials vehemently deny.
As reports indicate all nine fertility clinics in Gaza are either destroyed or non-functional, the emotional toll on women like Noura and Islam is profound. Both women are now left grappling with uncertainty for their futures and the dreams of motherhood that were so cruelly taken away amidst the chaos of war.
With reproductive healthcare access severely restricted and hopes dashed, many families across Gaza face an uncertain future, deeply affected by the ongoing conflict and its collateral damage on personal lives and dreams of growing families.
