Families gathered around a small sandy grave in Gaza on Friday, where they laid to rest a baby girl who only lived a few days. She was born via emergency delivery after her mother was injured in an Israeli airstrike and later died.
The baby was named Sabreen Al-Ruh after her late mother, with “Rouh” meaning “soul.” Her mother, Sabreen Al-Sakani Al-Sheikh, was 30 weeks pregnant when their family home in Rafah, Gaza, was hit by an Israeli strike last Saturday.
Sabreen Al-Ruh’s father, Shukri, and her three-year-old sister, Malak, also lost their lives in the attack. Despite doctors performing a Caesarean section to deliver the baby, her mother succumbed to her injuries.
Dr. Mohammed Salama, who headed the emergency neonatal unit at Emirati Hospital, shared that the baby faced respiratory challenges and a compromised immune system. Despite the medical team’s efforts, she passed away on Thursday.
“It was a profoundly difficult and sorrowful day for me personally,” Dr. Salama expressed. “Her premature birth and fragile health made her vulnerable. She is now with her family, considered a martyr.”
Dr. Salama stressed the strain on medical resources due to the conflict, noting the damage inflicted on hospitals and the resulting limitations in providing care.
The Gaza Health Ministry reported over 34,000 Palestinian casualties, predominantly civilians, since the commencement of the six-month-long conflict between Israel and Hamas. While Israel denies targeting civilians intentionally, Gaza’s infrastructure, including hospitals, has suffered extensive damage.
The baby’s grandmother had pleaded with doctors to save her, hoping to preserve the memory of her late relatives. However, fate dictated otherwise.
Rami Al-Sheikh Jouda, the baby’s uncle, mourned the loss of his niece and other family members. He recounted visiting the hospital daily, only to receive heartbreaking news of the baby’s passing.
“Our memories of Rouh, her parents, and sister are all that remain,” he lamented. “Everything we cherished is gone.”
The devastating toll of the conflict reverberates through shattered families and communities, leaving behind a trail of grief and loss in Gaza.
