In Gaza, doctors successfully delivered a baby from a Palestinian woman who tragically lost her life along with her husband and daughter in an Israeli strike in Rafah. The city of Rafah has seen over a million people fleeing due to the ongoing war in Gaza.
A journalist from Reuters captured the emotional moment on video as doctors worked to resuscitate the baby, who was born prematurely and weighed only three pounds. Dr. Mohammed Salama, head of the neonatal ICU at Al-Emirati Hospital, expressed the heartbreaking reality that the baby was now an orphan, even if she survives.
The newborn’s mother, Sabreen al-Sakani, had already passed away when the baby was born. Doctors wrote “the baby of the martyr Sabreen al-Sakani” on a piece of tape across her chest in lieu of a name.
The baby’s uncle shared that her older sister, Malak, who also perished in the strike, had wanted to name her Rouh, meaning soul. The family, described as “ordinary civilians,” is devastated by the loss.
Despite the initial critical condition of the baby, she is now stable aside from respiratory issues. Dr. Salama mentioned that the baby will need to stay in the hospital for a few weeks before decisions are made regarding her care.
Dr. Salama emphasized the importance of breastfeeding for the baby’s health and well-being, acknowledging that nothing can replace the love and care of her mother, who was tragically taken away from her.
