Struggle and Solidarity: Writing Toward Palestinian Liberation

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In Gaza, the effects of war do not end when the bombing stops. Beyond the rubble and debris, a silent health crisis is emerging affecting the most vulnerable, particularly pregnant women and their children. Since the start of Israel’s assault on Gaza in 2023, maternity wards have reported alarming increases in miscarriages, premature births, and rare congenital disabilities.

Doctors note that such patterns were far less common before the war and point to environmental factors created by bombardment — including dust, smoke, and chemical substances — as significant contributors.

Explosives leave behind a complex mix of heavy metals and toxic compounds, while the use of white phosphorus — a toxic chemical weapon deployed by the Israeli military — adds another layer of environmental hazard. These substances do not disappear after attacks cease; they settle in the air, contaminate the soil, and linger in the debris, becoming a constant source of exposure for residents.

The impact is not limited to immediate injury. Prolonged exposure to polluted air and dust affects pregnant people, increasing the likelihood of complications that threaten both parent and child.

Within this context, individual stories reveal the human toll more clearly than statistics ever could.

Israel Destroyed Gaza’s Hospitals. Now It’s Banning Doctors Without Borders.

Samira Kafana, 30, a mother of two, was pregnant with her third child during the war. She endured a grueling displacement from northern Gaza to the south, walking long distances with her children through smoke and toxic substances left by bombardment.

She describes the journey as suffocating, with severe breathing difficulties and persistent chest pain. This exposure continued for hours without protection or access to medical care.

Upon arrival, Kafana settled in a tent lacking basic living conditions. As her health deteriorated, labor began suddenly in her eighth month.

“I was completely exhausted, and there was no medical follow-up,” she recalled. “When I gave birth, I felt my baby was weaker than normal.”

Kafana’s son, Omar, was born underweight and in an unstable condition, requiring ongoing medical care. Although births in the eighth month are generally considered relatively safe, his condition reflected a pattern of complications increasingly observed by medical teams.

Dr. Saadi Al-Hilu, a specialist in obstetrics and gynecology, notes that........

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