I sold my jewellery to pay for pregnancy expenses – it wasn’t enough

Lying in the sonographer’s chair, I heard a heartbeat. Then came another one. And another one. 

Three heartbeats at once. I couldn’t believe it.

At first, the shock made me laugh, then I found myself crying from fear. But deep inside, I felt it was a precious gift from God for my husband and I.  

This is how I found out I was expecting triplets in October 2024. 

Now, after having my triplets, I want to share my experience of giving birth to three babies in Gaza, one of the most dangerous places on Earth.  

Before them, I already had a seven-year-old daughter, Almal, and a two-year-old son named Ahmed, who has cerebral palsy and a spinal cord severance. 

After Ahmed was born, my doctor actually advised me not to have any more children, since I had suffered from three miscarriages previously. 

Then the war escalated in October 2023 and for over two years since, we have been bombarded by constant attacks from the skies.

Our family has been forcibly displaced three times by the relentless Israeli bombing and orders for us to leave our homes. 

I very unexpectedly fell pregnant in September 2024. 

After my first ultrasound roughly one month into my pregnancy, I was scared. In fact, there were nights I went to sleep crying, not knowing if my triplets would still be alive in the morning. 

It didn’t help ease my mind that two of my cousins had miscarriages this year alone – with one even losing her baby in the eighth month. I was sure I’d be next. 

So I lived every single day on edge. Running to shelters with a big belly, while the sound of shelling is all around. Medicines and check-ups were not available either. It has been terrifying. 

Unfortunately, I already suffer from malnutrition, so I was very worried for myself and the babies. 

One night in January 2025, during my pregnancy, bombs fell near our house, shaking it and shattering the windows. The stress caused my belly to tighten painfully, and my blood pressure spiked. 

My family fled into the dark. We ran in silence as I held my bump with both hands and prayed my babies wouldn’t slip away while I escaped death. 

Eventually, we found shelter in an overcrowded school building, where there was hardly any food, no clean water, and no medical care. I became increasingly malnourished, and my haemoglobin dropped to dangerously low levels.  

Follow Metro on WhatsApp to be the first to get all the latest news

Metro’s on Whatsapp! Join our community for breaking news and juicy stories.

From that night onwards, my health started to decline, and I lived in constant fear of losing my unborn babies. 

As my condition worsened, I was referred to a health facility partnered with the charity Islamic Relief, who were able to cover the costs for all the medicines and check-ups – 1500 shekels, (£350).

When I was able to meet staff at a clinic, I was dizzy and weak. I registered on Islamic Relief’s maternal healthcare project, which has so far supported more than 1,080 pregnant women and newborn babies. 

During one of the checkups roughly about three months into my pregnancy, doctors told me that I needed an emergency caesarean section, which has become increasingly necessary in Gaza. It was going to cost over 1,000 shekels (£220). 

I had no money left because I had already sold my gold jewellery to cover other pregnancy expenses.

So when I was told that Islamic Relief would pay for everything – as well as the cost of the emergency blood transfusions – I cried with joy and felt that God had not forgotten me. 

The thought of having an emergency C-section terrified me. When it came to doing the operation, I lost a lot of blood. I could feel myself fading. 

But I heard a cry from one of my daughters. That cry brought me back. 

My triplets were born in April 2025 – three baby girls, Israa, Ayla, and Aylo. They were premature and underweight, all weighing in at 1.8kg (3.9lbs), but they were relatively healthy. 

Without this charitable project, I wouldn’t be here – and neither would they. This wasn’t just a medical intervention; it was a rescue mission for four lives. 

Although I survived the C-Section and pregnancy, now my children and I must survive the ongoing risk of malnutrition due to lack of food and overall destruction in Gaza.   

Honestly, it’s very exhausting. Feeding my baby is so expensive — a tin of formula costs 100 shekels (£22) and I need a new one every two days. Then there are nappies and clothes. 

Getting supplies is becoming a huge challenge, especially with not enough aid being allowed into Gaza. I don’t even have cribs for them; I put them all to sleep on the couch. 

I hope my daughters can grow up in safety, with warm clothes and beds like other children. I want the world to know that there are thousands of mothers in Gaza facing the same struggles, but no matter what, our hope in God never dies. 

Despite the constant fatigue and uncertainty, every time I look at their faces, I feel they are the greatest blessing from God. 

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing Ross.Mccafferty@metro.co.uk. 

Share your views in the comments below.