Jordanian doctor risked her life to help deliver Palestinian babies in Gaza

Weeks after the start of the Israeli onslaught against Gaza, Jordanian obstetrician Asil Al-Jallad, 40, decided she could not remain helpless in the face of the critical humanitarian situation unfolding in the besieged enclave.

She decided to travel to Gaza and volunteer her services, aiding hundreds of women in delivering their babies and providing monthly medical check-ups.

Asil, originally from Tulkarm in the West Bank, recounts calling the Jordanian Syndicate of Doctors multiple times to enquire about her ability to go to Gaza. She was initially informed that while other doctors could go, obstetricians were not considered in demand for war zones.

"I fought for it," Asil recalls. "I argued that thousands of women in Gaza needed medical care and that we were indeed in demand."

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