‘In November, it was reported that nearly 70% of those killed in Gaza by Israel are women and children,’ writes Aminah Sheikh. [GETTY]
We are now well past a year into Israel’s genocide in Gaza, the horrors of which have certainly not ended since we entered 2025. The mass killing of Palestinians has been televised for the whole world to consume right from the start.
The new year always forces us to reflect, and for me, having become a mother amidst the genocide on Gaza, I think about all that Palestinian mothers have faced.
As I move into a year since my daughter Fatima Wicahpiwin was born, I think about how I am able to do everything to help her stay healthy, safe, and happy. Living in Canada, I know I can give her the medicines, vaccines, and all the nutrition she needs. I am constantly reminded about what Palestinian mothers are enduring in comparison. My security feels like a privilege.
In a sympathetic world, their deprivation should make anyone with a conscience feel something, anything.
On October 7 2023, I was well into the first trimester. My pregnancy journey was filled with challenges that mothers all over the world face; from vomiting profusely, to being forced to stay in bed because my body was depleted from electrolytes. Whilst it is expected that a soon-to-be mother is excited that something wonderful is growing inside her, I felt mostly overwhelmed with anguish for mothers in Palestine.
With every new ailment I faced, I thought, “I can’t imagine what it is like to be going through this in Palestine.” I imagined going through it all under unsanitary conditions, with a lack of medicines, food, and the comfort of family members.
What kind of world?
Since the start of Israel’s attacks, Save the Children reported that The Occupied Palestinian Territory is ‘the deadliest place in the world for children’. Horrifyingly, the charity says around 30% of the children killed in Gaza were under the age of five.
Many babies have died from hypothermia, as temperatures have drastically dropped during the winter months. The lack of food, water, and adequate clothing and shelter, all of which are a consequence of Israel’s restrictions, are leading to an increasing death toll.
We have witnessed orphaned babies in incubators, formula shortages, polio and many other infectious but curable diseases spreading. Mothers are birthing without anaesthesia.
I vividly remember seeing a mother put a date in the child’s mouth to soothe the hungry stomach of her starving baby because she was unable to provide milk due to the lack of food.
There’s been so many graphic images circulating of mothers exhausted, starved, traumatised, but still cleaning, cooking, playing with and cuddling their babies despite their weak tents filling with water from the rain, no privacy, and unsanitary conditions.
When my daughter falls asleep, I find myself constantly checking her tiny body, wondering, “is she breathing?”. This frightening thought has crossed my mind hundreds of times after hearing Palestinian mothers telling stories of when they’ve checked on their babies and discovered their lifeless bodies.
In reality, stories of the horrors that Palestinian parents have lived through are too many to count. One that I haven’t been able to forget, is that of a father who was on his way to collect birth certificates of his new baby twins, but upon his return learned that they were killed by an Israeli strike along with his wife.
This horrific tragedy, of which there are hundreds, makes me wonder how anyone could remain unconvinced by the plight of the Palestinians. How can the images of the lifeless little bodies covered in white sheets, not force the world to take action against this US-backed genocide?
Killing mothers & children
From the very beginning, Israel has been clear on its intent to annihilate everything. Over the months we’ve heard children referred to as non-human and animals who must be eliminated. Israeli politician and Knesset member Meirev Ben Ari, even said back in October 2023 that, “the children of Gaza have brought this upon themselves”.
In a Facebook post, Israeli member of parliament Ayelet Shaked wrote: ‘They have to die and their houses should be demolished so that they cannot bear any more terrorists.’
Israel doesn’t stop at dehumanising words. In November, it was reported that nearly 70% of those killed in Gaza by Israel are women and children. Furthermore, theLancet’s report has highlighted that the death count will be even higher than we expect.
Over the course of the year, Gaza’s Health Ministry, eyewitness testimonies of doctors, health professionals, and journalists have all reported endlessly on the indiscriminate killing and maiming of mothers and children.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, called Gaza a “graveyard for children”.
Expert health professionals and international bodies have consistently echoed that the killing of women and children by Israel has been systematic and deliberate – not to mention that there is a gendered aspect to this genocide.
Furthermore, Dr. Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian’s decades of work exposes how the Israeli state uses rape and sexual violence against women, girls and mothers.
Indeed, since the creation of Israel, there has been no mercy, let alone safety bestowed upon Palestinian mothers, no “safe zone” to go to, to protect children and loved ones. Everywhere in Palestine, Israel continues to unleash death, destruction and extreme hardship.
American Doctor Mark Perlmutter, who volunteered in a hospital in Gaza, upon his return recounted the horrific details of the children with gunshot wounds in their heads, and stated that IOF snipers were in fact deliberately targeting children.
Yet, despite all the injustices that Palestinians are facing, including the dehumanisation of their suffering by Western media and powers, Palestinian mothers remain steadfast. They continue to be resilient in the face of multiple material adversaries, and the traumatic lifelong loss of their children. And their steadfastness sends reverberations through the world.
Mothers Organising
Truly the love and sumud of Palestinian mothers is felt by mothers around the world.
This is why I couldn’t stand people telling me to “move on”, to just be happy with my new-born baby – to effectively not care about our Palestinian brothers and sisters. Some suggested I stay home and not participate in any protests or activism.
However, as soon as I felt able again during my pregnancy, I did what I knew was right and hit the streets to organise locally. I participated in direct actions, demonstrations, campaigns in the workplace, and the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions movement. This is the message that I want my daughter to hear, that we must not be indifferent to such visible oppression. There is no excuse.
We, as mothers, must do everything we can to stop the suffering and injustices of Palestinians.
And there are many mothers worldwide who are already leading mobilisations in solidarity, from schools and nurseries, to workplaces, communities, unions, cultural spaces, public services and even religious buildings.
I noticed many mothers were raising awareness about Palestinians, and the suffering of women and children in particular, across social media. Several popular vloggers and influencers who were also mothers, often halted the entertainment/consumer aspect of their platforms in order to draw attention to the urgency of Israel’s crimes.
From Palestinian mothers on social media, I learned more about the femicide, gender based violence, rape of Palestinian women and mothers, the demolition of homes, and so much more. These mothers were ensuring that the heinous acts by their Zionist colonisers were being shown and archived.
Palestinian women have also used their social media to counter the pro-Israel content of mainstream media outlets in the West, by showing us the truth.
Whilst it feels like as activists we are up against Goliath, it is nothing compared to what Palestinians are resisting with such conviction. We cannot stop exposing what Israel is doing, the many violations of international law, it’s immoral, depraved of conscience actions, and we must continue organising wherever we are.
Aminah Sheikh is a Union Organiser based in Canada. She is the Vice President of the Canadian Freelance Union. She has served on the Executive of the Canada – Cuba Friendship Association. Her work focuses on trade union, inter worker solidarity and internationalism.
Follow her on X: @AminahSheikh
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Opinions expressed in this article remain those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The New Arab, its editorial board or staff.
