Gaza's Unlikely 'Mama' Rises to Care for Orphaned Baby Amid Conflict and Grief
Maha, a 60-year-old woman from Gaza, has taken on the role of an orphaned baby's mother after being referred to as 'Mama' by the child, whom she is raising alongside her sister Huriya and Hamza's father Omar al-Rubaie. Maha and her sister have been caring for Omar since he was 15 years old following their father's death in 2008.
Maha, a Gaza resident, has taken on an unconventional role as the caregiver for a baby whose parents are deceased and no other relatives can be found. Maha is the paternal aunt of Hamza's father, Omar al-Rubaie, who raised him along with his two brothers after their father was killed in 2008. Despite her close age to the child, Maha has become the primary caregiver for the baby girl, whom she affectionately refers to as 'Mama'. The 45-year-old grandmother figure is raising the young girl, who is now just a toddler, with support from local NGOs and community members.
