Gaza Mothers Face Hunger, Loss on Mother’s Day

(MENAFN) In displacement camps across Gaza, Mother’s Day is marked not by celebration but by deep hardship, as mothers face hunger, mourning, and the continued uncertainty surrounding children who remain missing.

In makeshift tents spread throughout Khan Younis in southern Gaza, Palestinian mothers spend the day grieving sons killed in attacks, waiting for news of detained or unaccounted-for children, and struggling to sustain their families under conditions of war, displacement, and widespread food shortages.

While countries such as Türkiye observe Mother’s Day on Sunday, many mothers in Gaza say their priorities have shifted entirely away from normal life. Instead, they say they are focused on basic survival—seeking safety, food, and protection for their children from death and repeated forced displacement.

According to UN Women, more than 22,000 women and nearly 16,000 girls have been killed in Gaza since October 2023.

Additional figures from Gaza’s Government Media Office and the UN Population Fund indicate that over 22,000 women have lost their husbands during the conflict. The data also shows that approximately 55,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women are facing serious health risks due to the collapse of the healthcare system and worsening malnutrition conditions.

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