Gaza's mothers and babies bear the brunt of bombardments

Mervat Al-Buhtaimi with baby Sedra born June 2021 at the Al Awda Hospital Gaza, Palestine, shortly after the Israeli Defence Forces' bombing of Gaza. Picture: via ActionAid Ireland 

A baby girl born in Gaza just a few weeks ago was named 'Sedra' or “like a star” in Arabic, because like a star she brings hope to her family after a traumatic year.

Her mother Mervat Al-Buhtaimi is one of many women whose pregnancy was affected by living through heavy bombing of the area by Israeli forces in May.