Birth Basics for Gaza Families

Pic: UNFPA Palestine/Media clinic

2025: There are 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza, and about 180 babies are born daily. Mothers and babies are suffering and dying unnecessarily for lack of – well, everything: antenatal and postnatal care, functional hospitals, antibiotics, anaesthetics, vaccines, clean water, food, shelter, or indeed, any place of safety whatsoever. You can read our regularly updated collection of recent articles about maternity/healthcare in Gaza here.

 We began raising money to make a difference early in 2024, via a mainstream fundraising page. Our idea was to be able to respond flexibly to changing circumstances. So far money has gone to...
 

UK-Med (NHS staff teamed with Gaza staff) who are running 2 field hospitals offering maternity services on the ground in Gaza . We have also delivered birth kit items directly to their Manchester offices which they aim to take into Gaza for maternity care. We are about to send a box of rechargeable head torches for them also to provide to families. 

the United Nations Population Fund who have provided 6 mobile maternal health units on the ground in Gaza

the preparation and delivery to Egypt of simple kits containing birth and postnatal care items for use by pregnant women without access to resources/care. These are currently in the care of a Gaza nurse in Cairo who will know if/when they can be sent cross the Rafah border (closed by Israel in May 2024)

cash handed directly to Gaza families with new babies (meet 3 of them below), taking shelter in Cairo, by UK midwife Sharyn who travelled out to learn and volunteer with Network for Palestine

ongoing monthly donations to cover Egyptian hospital birthcare charges for Gaza refugee mums, also via Network for Palestine

an ad hoc family-run North Gaza project that buys and gives out what milk and nappies they can get hold off, in the face of great difficulty and danger

money sent to "Anqa", a midwife in Gaza city, and used by her to purchase & distribute care packs for mothers/babies/toddlers in January 2025. 

 When a ceasefire finally occurs, there will be a lifetime, perhaps many lifetimes, of recovery ahead. We have moved to this page from 2025 as we can use it indefinitely, because it enables you to see the receipts for how we spend your donations, because it is a more ethical option, and also because it allows donors to set up an ongoing direct debit. Could you set up one for £3-£6 per month? Small sums will add up. But we will be glad of anything you can raise or share, and we will keep you posted with updates here.