Raising kids in Gaza war zone: 'if something happens to my children, let it happen to me too'

Diana Shams gave birth to her second child, daughter Rose, in early 2023 in Gaza. Seven months later, one day into the latest war, they were forced to flee after a neighbour’s house was bombed. Subscribe ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 They moved repeatedly before finally making the journey south, sleeping in their car until a tent became available. They have been living in and out of tents ever since. Shams says that even the news reports people see cannot fully reflect what people in Gaza actually live through, especially mothers. Shams did not intend to write a book, but had been collecting her thoughts by writing notes on her phone. During a truce in early 2025, Shams and her family returned to their home and began cleaning away rubble and repairing it. One of her friends abroad suggested she write a book about her experiences. Her laptop was lost under the debris of her family home, so she wrote it on her phone. A Different Kind of Motherhood tells the story of her life as a mother in the face of violence and near constant danger. And to read Aseel Mousa’s full article, tap the link ► https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/08/women-gaza-different-kind-of-motherhood-diana-shams #gazamothers #gazawomen #gazakids #gazachildren #gaza #palestine #motherhood #childbirth #israel #middleeast