21-YEAR-OLD PALESTINIAN HAS 11 KIDS

Naeema of the Palestinian Gaza Strip, at just 21 years of age, has 11 children, including five quintuplets. (Photo : Emirates 24)

Gaza, 2 Jumadil Akhir 1436/22 March 2015 (MINA) – Naeema of the Palestinian Gaza Strip, at just 21 years of age, has 11 children, including five quintuplets.

Naeema has been married to 25-year-old Raad for seven years and all their children are below seven years old.

She says she had wanted five children.

“Believe me, I don’t want to keep getting pregnant and delivering. I swear to God that I wanted to be like any other mother, having just five children,” she told the Saudi satellite news TV channel ‘Al Arabiya quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

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Naeema has just had quintuplets, including five girls and a boy, who is still in hospital. She says she has never been out for years as she is busy with her children.

“I spend most of the day looking after my home and children. Now I have quintuplets, who need more care and more time.

:I now spend more time awake at night to look after the new babies and feed them.”

Raad, a government employee with a monthly wage of around $500 (Dh1,830), said his children consume up more than half his salary and that seven of them need pampers.

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“I have received some financial aid from the President (Mahmoud Abbas) but it was not enough.

“I have 11 children who have daily needs and these needs are growing every day.

“I appeal to the President as a father to all of us to consider helping me on regular basis so I can look after my children.”

Naeema said she does not want money but relief aid for her children.

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“I am not asking for money but for milk and pampers for my children.

“I want the charity and government establishments to help us.

“I am really tired of crying because crying is of no use.

“I just rely on God the Almighty and ask Him to guide those establishments to help us,”. (T/P007/P3)

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Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)