Help for Baby Warda & Family in Gaza

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United States

Supporters

BABY WARDA:

Baby Warda was born 5 June 2025 via cesarean section to Walaa and Ghazi Shaqoura. In addition to horrific conditions in Gaza at present, Walaa had a very difficult pregnancy and delivery due to a life-threatening blood clotting disorder. To say that it is a miracle that both mother and baby survived the complicated delivery amid falling bombs and a lack of clean water, food, and proper medical supplies, is an understatement.

On top of the daily struggles that all Palestinians in Gaza are currently facing, at just a few days old, Baby Warda was diagnosed with two complications related to her left kidney: pelvi-ureteric junction (PUJ) obstruction (a narrowing of the tube from the kidney to the bladder) and large cysts on the kidney. Warda will require surgery in a few weeks when her kidney has developed a bit more, but in the meantime, she needs close monitoring for severe urinary tract infections (UTI), and acute and long-term damage to her kidney. It is crucial for Warda to receive sufficient breast milk, supplementing with formula, and clean diapers to support her continued growth and to help mitigate any potential infections.

BABY WARDA’S FAMILY:

Gaza’s residents are deprived of the most basic needs: hygiene, medical care, food, and drinking water. With the ongoing Israeli bombardment, drinking water shortages have occurred and a severe famine has erupted in the Gaza Strip. Food prices continue to rise, leaving not all Palestinians able to feed themselves.

Walaa is a 27-year-old Palestinian journalist living in Gaza with her family of 10, including her husband, two-year-old daughter Abeer, and her newborn baby girl Warda. Walaa and her family currently live in Maghazi, in their home, which was partially destroyed by Israeli shelling. They do not have the means to feed or care for themselves, especially with a sick newborn baby and recovering from major abdominal surgery (a c-section).

Walaa has been in contact with me since the beginning of the war on Gaza through social media on Instagram, and I have been amazed by their resilience despite the dire situation they find themselves in. I hope everyone will support Walaa and her family with some money so they can provide for themselves.

Every bit of support is important, no matter the amount. If you are unable to donate, please share this information and share the link to this fundraising campaign. Thank you in advance for your help. Walaa and her family would be grateful for your help.

Peace & solidarity, Sam

Dear Friends,

There have been some developments regarding Baby Warda’s health. She has been diagnosed with a third complication called hydrocolpos, which causes urine to become trapped inside of the vaginal cavity. It is urgent that Baby Warda has reconstructive surgery for this condition as it can lead to severe kidney infections (which she is already at a high risk for due to the PUJ—narrowed passage from the kidney to the bladder) and even infertility later in life. (Copies of Warda’s diagnoses can be found by swiping through the Chuffed campaign banner photos)

Unfortunately, we have lost touch with the free clinic that had offered to do the original PUJ stenosis surgery, so the family has had to turn to private clinics that are still charging money. The corrective surgery for the hydrocolpos will cost approximately $1500-2000 USD and the PUJ procedure will cost approximately $2000-2500.

In addition to these health complications, Baby Warda is growing much more slowly than she should due to starvation. Her mother, Walaa, has been exclusively breastfeeding her, but Walaa’s milk supply is beginning to wane due to her own starvation, dehydration, and stress. There is no infant formula at all in Gaza. Keeping Walaa fed and hydrated is the only way to keep Warda fed and hydrated—and growing.

I don’t want to sound dramatic, but we are truly racing against the clock right now—racing against falling bombs, starvation, and now, serious infections.

We are begging for any assistance to help Baby Warda get the surgeries that she needs and to keep her fed and growing. Please consider donating today (no amount is too small) and sharing Baby Warda’s campaign as broadly as you can on social media, and with friends and family.

From the bottom of our hearts,

Thank you,

Sam, on behalf of Warda, Abeer, Walaa, Ghazi, and their entire family

Dear Friends,

First, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting Baby Warda and her entire family! Walaa (mom) and Ghazi (dad) share their appreciation and gratitude every single day.

Some folks have asked for updates about Baby Warda, her mom, and their family. At present, the family is alive and as safe as we can pray for under the current circumstances. On top of the daily struggles of trying to find food and clean water, the family is also struggling to find clean diapers—a must for Baby Warda with her kidney complications—and other necessities of life.

Though Walaa has been able to produce breast milk, given her malnourished state, limited access to drinking water, recovering from a c-section, and coping with the constant stress of bombardment, her milk supply is quickly dwindling and likely not last much longer. At this time, there is absolutely no infant formula in Gaza. Keeping Walaa fed and hydrated is the only way to keep Baby Warda fed and hydrated.

Several weeks ago, through the diligence and support of community activists based out of the UK, we were able to find a small free-standing clinic in Gaza that agreed to perform surgery on Baby Warda’s left kidney to help remove some of the cysts and to place a stent to widen the narrowed ureter (the small tube that connects the kidney to the bladder). At that time, the biggest issue was ensuring that Warda was big enough to undergo such a delicate surgery, so the family had to wait a few weeks for her to grow and get stronger.

As starvation and bombing gets worse everyday, it has been a race against the clock towards Warda’s surgery date. Unfortunately, starvation has overtaken both the family and the medical team. Because Walaa is malnourished, her milk supply has been waning, and thus, Warda is growing at a much slower rate than she should be. Also, the family has learned that the medical staff is also suffering from the effects of starvation and experiencing bouts of dizziness and unconsciousness. The medical team has also not been able to find a stent that would be an appropriate size for such a young infant. Because of all of these factors, Warda’s surgery has been delayed indefinitely.

We give thanks everyday that Baby Warda has not yet suffered from any urinary or kidney infections, but this is largely due to keeping her in clean diapers and keeping her hydrated so that old urine does not back up in her kidneys.

Every single day, life becomes more expensive for Warda and her family. In early June 2025, the UN released a report outlining how food prices in Gaza had risen more than 4000% since October 2023 (yes, four thousand percent!). Things have worsened rapidly in the past month since that report was released. Walaa has recently shared that many of the very limited items available in markets are doubling in price each day. Currently, a dozen eggs costs about $30 USD. A single piece of bread about the size of your hand costs $10. And diapers are about $5 each (Warda needs about 8 diapers a day).

Life is nearly completely untenable for everyone in Gaza and your donations are a literal lifeline for Baby Warda, her toddler sister, Abeer, Walaa, and their entire family. I want to thank everyone who has donated to this sweet family of 10, but also to remind everyone that procuring food, water, diapers, and other necessities of living are a constant, non-stop challenge. Please consider donating to this family again and possibly even setting up a recurring donation—no amount is too small! Also, whether or not you have the means to donate, please consider sharing Baby Warda’s Chuffed campaign. I cannot stress enough that your donations are literally keeping this family alive. Anything you can do to support them is appreciated beyond words.

Peace, love, and solidarity,

Sam, on behalf of Warda, Abeer, Walaa, Ghazi, and their entire family

Please share the link to this campaign often and broadly!

Laila Al

16 hours ago

$20

Charlotte Völkel

18 hours ago

$50

Patricia Lucas

2 days ago

€20

Anonymous

2 days ago

€15

Kathryne Shay

3 days ago

$6

Anonymous

3 days ago

$10

Anonymous

3 days ago

€10

Eric Zwicky

4 days ago

$50

Susie Frost

4 days ago

£5

Emma McDonald

5 days ago

£20

Melody Freeman

5 days ago

$15

Robin Whalley

5 days ago

£25

Anonymous

5 days ago

$25

michelle bonnard

6 days ago

$25

Frankie Lipman

6 days ago

$50

Anonymous

6 days ago

$50

Kenny Gunawan

6 days ago

$1

Erin Mackinnon

6 days ago

$70

Anonymous

6 days ago

$2

Nicole Liu

14 days ago

£20

Samantha Birtel