War on Gaza leaves triplets separated from their mother for 1 year

A year after giving birth to triplets in East Jerusalem’s Makassed Hospital, Palestinian from Gaza, Hanane Bayouk, remains separated from them because of Israel’s war on the Strip.

Twenty-six-year-old Hanane gave birth to her daughters – Najoua, Nour and Najmeh – in Jerusalem on 24 August 2023, after receiving a permit to deliver at Makassed Hospital in East Jerusalem following a challenging seven-year journey through IVF treatments.

Hanane’s Israel-issued travel permit expired before she could return to Gaza with her newborns, and she was forced to leave them to receive treatment in the hospital and return to the Strip alone. Then, on 7 October, Israel closed Gaza off completely and began bombing the enclave forcing Hanane and her family to flee their home and move to a displacement camp in southern Gaza.

The triplets were among several premature babies born to Palestinian mothers from Gaza at Makassed Hospital in East Jerusalem around the same time. These infants have remained at the hospital, separated from their mothers due to their mothers’ inability to obtain the necessary permit to allow them to leave Gaza and be reunited with their babies.

“It’s difficult; sometimes I can talk to them, sometimes it’s cut off because of the internet,” Hanane says.

Dr. Hatem Khammash, director of the Neonatal Intensive Care Department at Makassed Hospital, says that while the hospital continues to provide medical care and attention to the babies, including regular vaccinations and treatment, the separation from their mothers is a significant emotional and developmental concern.

READ: Palestinian mother fears for triplets’ lives amid acute shortage of food, medicine

“They are not orphans, but they will be developing as orphans. Although we help them with the presence of volunteers and the nurses, working with them and helping with them, but I’m not sure that it’s going to be the same as the mother looking after them,” he explains.

Khammash highlighted the challenges of sending the babies back to Gaza due to Israel’s ongoing bombing campaign and the inadequate medical care available as a result of the occupation’s siege.

“We are very worried about their safety. There is no clean water. There are illnesses they may develop and no medical care because everything is lacking. So we’re really worried about them going with the mother there. So the ideal thing is to get the mother here, wait till things settle down in Gaza and go back again to her family,” he says.

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell, Germany’s Diplomatic Representative to the Palestinian Territories Oliver Owcza, and the WHO regional representative have visited the hospital and expressed support for efforts to address the situation. However, no definitive solutions have been achieved.

Hospital staff, including social services, are working to maintain communication between the mothers and their babies through video calls, but they acknowledge the emotional void created by the separation.

Social services staff member Nabila Qasim says despite the team providing the children the best care, no one can fully replace the presence of a mother.

“To be honest, there’s no one in the world who can fill the gap of an absent mother, not even the aunt.”

“We are trying our best. And the idea of having this alternative mother, her job is just to give love and attention. I’m not talking about diapers or all that. Just hold them and love them, play with them, and give them this facial expression about love and caring that they need,” she explains.

Staff are hopeful that the conflict will come to an end and the children will be reunited with their families.

“I wish this would never happen again. This situation is very, very difficult for all of us. It’s breathtaking watching these children suffering and watching their families suffering,” Qasim adds.

READ: UN official says women in Gaza desperately need a ceasefire

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.