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In the midst of Gaza’s devastation, a tragic miracle unfolded as doctors delivered a baby from Ola Adnan Harb al-Kurd, who was killed in an airstrike. It is a tale of both the resilience of life and the profound sorrow of loss read more
 "Gaza hospital delivers baby from dead mother's womb after airstrike")
A Palestinian baby boy, not yet named, who was delivered prematurely after his mother Ola al-Kurd was killed in an Israeli strike, lies in an incubator at a hospital in Deir al-Balah. AP
In the midst of relentless airstrikes on Gaza, a miraculous yet heartbreaking story unfolded late Thursday (July 18) evening. A medical team at Al-Awda Hospital delivered a live baby from Ola Adnan Harb al-Kurd, a 25-year-old Palestinian woman who was killed in an airstrike on her home in Nuseirat.
The hospital only confirmed the entire ordeal on Saturday (July 20).
Ola, nine months pregnant, barely survived the devastating night of missile strikes that claimed the lives of over 24 people, including six members of the same family. By the time she reached the hospital, she was “almost dead,” according to surgeon Akram Hussein. Despite their efforts, doctors were unable to save Ola, but an ultrasound detected the baby’s heartbeat.
In a race against time, doctors performed an emergency cesarean section and brought the baby into the world. The newborn, still unnamed, was placed in an incubator and transferred to Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir el-Balah. Although stable, the baby suffered from a shortage of oxygen and remains in critical care, said Dr Khalil Dajran.
The tragedy deepens as Ola’s cousin, Majid al-Kurd, revealed that while her husband and a relative survived the strike, everyone else perished. “The baby is in good health based on what doctors said,” he added, offering a glimmer of hope amidst overwhelming sorrow.
Ola was one of three women and a child killed by an Israeli missile in the Nuseirat refugee camp. The ongoing war in Gaza has made childbirth perilous, with pregnant women facing daily strikes, limited access to health facilities, widespread food insecurity, poor sanitary conditions, and water scarcity.
Hospitals are stretched to their limits, and pre-term deliveries and maternal complications are on the rise, as reported by Doctors Without Borders.
This story is a poignant reminder of the horrors of war and the resilience of life. The survival of Ola’s baby is a beacon of hope, yet it is overshadowed by the immense suffering and loss faced by Palestinians every day.
With inputs from agencies
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