An important message from a Palestinian mother searching for milk for her child

An important message from a Palestinian mother searching for milk for her child

Since the beginning of the Israeli occupation’s bombing of the Strip, the Gaza Strip area has witnessed the birth of 22 thousand children, and the families cannot find food for these children. This is a humanitarian catastrophe against the people of Gaza, and the world must quickly ignore this and stop it immediately. These children are not to blame for what is happening. 

Regarding this, a mother named Amal said that she only had enough milk left for two days, so Amal wrote in a text message, “I will dig mountains to provide milk... my child needs it.”

Amal began searching for milk for her child in southern Rafah, despite the Israeli forces filling the roads.

She said, “I am on my way to Rafah now... I will try to find some milk. God willing, I will get some today.”

It was dangerous, but she had no other choice. She left her child Muhammad and his older brother Noah behind with her family, and a few hours later another voice was heard.

“Her car was attacked by Israeli tanks on the way to Rafah and she said, ‘I am now stuck in Rafah,’ and I don’t know if I will see my children again.”

She said: I came across 3 tanks, one of which opened fire near the car. The driver reversed the car and fled. Amal remained disconnected from the Internet for hours, and late that night a message arrived: “I have returned to Khan Yunis, but without baby formula.”

Regarding this, UNICEF Senior Advisor on Child Nutrition in Emergencies, Anu Nayaran, said: “Since the war began, we knew that breastfeeding would pose a challenge for mothers.”

She added: "In the midst of conflicts, if the mother does not begin breastfeeding the child naturally immediately, she will not be able to do so later, and becomes completely dependent on artificial infant formula."