Phone Calls from Palestine

After giving birth under military occupation, Duaa was separated from her husband and has been displaced around 15 times – moving from place to place with all her belongings and their first born child, baby Mira. They have nothing to eat and no fresh water. What should be a happy time for any young family is far from that

Duaa first reached out to me when her daughter, baby Mira, became sick with diarrhoea and vomiting because of the dirty water they are now forced to drink.

Israel hadn’t allowed any fresh water, food, or medical supplies into Gaza for 80 days. The flour and limited other provisions which have now been allowed in just in the last few days are extortionate and there isn’t much, if any, money circulating in Gaza. 

Duaa had given birth to Mira during the conflict – leaving the checkpoint with a gun over her head and having to walk 20km over seven hours to get home with her new born baby. Since then, her home has been completely destroyed. 

When I first chatted with Duaa, she was staying in a tent in Abasan city, which the occupation ordered her to evacuate.

She was dressing Mira in taped up black bin bags because she had no nappies. Mira was hungry and tired and still having diarrhoea. The doctor warned she was at severe risk of dehydration and malnutrition. 

“We have no food, no clean water, no life, no future,” she told me. “I don’t even have bread for days.

“I just want my baby to be okay.”

Despite the stores still selling provisions, Duaa had no money for baby milk or nappies.

She said she sometimes needed to talk because she was stressed and psychologically fatigued.

Yet she told me she didn’t want to be a burden on anyone. 

Her friend, Elisabeth, set up a crowdfunding page, but has struggled to get enough donations. 

Like me, Duaa had studied public relations and advertising, but at Gaza University. 

We have a lot in common and she was the inspiration for me setting up the Get Aid in 2 Gaza crowdfunder.

It was initially successful and I managed to get some money out to Duaa and Mira but I, too, then struggled to get donations. 

Now Duaa’s situation is even more desperate. She has been displaced again, on foot, with her daughter to a place far from what she would call home.

The occupation requested urgent evacuation so she had to quickly pack up her belongings and carry Mira for miles.

She is sick, she is tired, and the bombing is ever closer.

Her and Mira have no food and it’s been a long time since they last tasted bread.

They are still without baby milk and nappies.

“We will die of hunger and bombing,” she tells me.

“Famine is ravaging my body again and I am now living in the street.

” I have no place to sleep.”

Can you help Duaa and baby Mira?

You can donate directly or through my crowdfunding campaign.

Thank you.