April 13, 2024

A Gazan Mother’s Harrowing Journey to Give Birth

The latest episode of Reveal follows one woman’s search for a safe place to deliver her baby.

Palestinians inspect the damage at Al-Shifa Hospital complex, following a two-week military operation by the Israeli army in Gaza City.Omar Ishaq/Picture-Alliance/DPA/AP Images

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In Gaza, the health care system has collapsed, but nearly 200 women each day still need to find a safe place to give birth. In this week’s episode of Reveal, reporters Gabrielle Berbey and Salman Ahad Khan tell the story of one woman, 42-year-old Lubna Al Rayyes, as she deals with a complicated pregnancy in the midst of the war. After fleeing her home in Gaza City, Al Rayyes tries to find refuge in Khan Younis—only to be forced to evacuate again when that city comes under attack too. 

Also in this episode, reporters speak with Dutch researcher Dr. Tessa Roseboom, who has been studying how famine affects the development of babies in the womb, and Dr. Ghassan Jawad, an OB-GYN who had worked at Al-Shifa hospital before it was left in ruins by an Israeli military attack. 

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