mothers

Day of intense hardship as mothers mourn children lost in war and children face day without their mothers.

While much of the Middle East celebrated Mother’s Day with flowers and gifts this weekend, in Gaza, the occasion served as a painful reminder of precious lives lost.

Sitting in her tent in Gaza City on Saturday, Em Rami Dawwas remembered the three sons she lost in Israeli attacks, two of whose bodies are still being withheld by the authorities.

“I miss my sons on Mother’s Day. They used to bring me gifts, flowers, sweets, and ask me about my needs. They were the light of my life,” she said, sitting among boxes filled with their clothes, which she cannot bring herself to throw away.

Palestinian children have borne the brunt of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza that began in October 2023, with UNICEF estimating in October last year that 64,000 children have been killed and wounded in Israeli attacks.

Reporting from among the tents in Gaza City, Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary said Dawwas kept the photos of her sons under her pillow, looking at them every day, “as if holding on will keep their memory alive”.

Many mothers spend the day in graveyards, sitting in the only place they can feel close to their dead children, said Khoudary.

‘I just wanted to make her happy’

Maram Ahmed faced a second Mother’s Day without her mother, who she lost in an Israeli air attack that killed her entire family. Her mother was her closest friend, said Khoudary.

“On Mother’s Day, even if I didn’t have money, I would buy my mum a gift from my allowance, even if it was for less than a dollar. I just wanted to make her happy,” said the 14-year-old, sitting in her sparse tent.

“I feel so sad when I see other children with their mothers, but I don’t show it,” she said.

A report published by rights group Amnesty International this month highlighted the “brutal price” women and girls have paid during the war, which started in October 2023. Two years later, Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas agreed to a fragile “ceasefire” that the former has repeatedly violated.

“Amid Israel’s deliberate imposition of conditions of life calculated to bring about the physical destruction of Palestinians in Gaza, Palestinian women face compounded and life-threatening consequences,” said the report.

It cited ongoing mass displacement, the collapse of reproductive, maternal and neonatal healthcare, the interruption of treatment for chronic illness, heightened exposure to disease and unsafe and undignified living conditions faced by women, as well as “profound physical and mental harm”.

Since the October 2025 “ceasefire”, Israeli attacks have killed more than 650 Palestinians, many of them women and children, according to recent figures from the Ministry of Health.

Overall, Israeli attacks have killed more than 72,000 people since the start of the war.

SOPHIE Habboo has been left sobbing after her husband Jamie Laing’s Mother’s Day present backfired.

The couple welcomed their baby boy Ziggy in December and this year marks Sophie’s very first Mother’s Day.

However, things didn’t end up going so well when Jamie presented his wife with a photo album of their son.

The former Made in Chelsea took to TikTok to share a video to capture the moment in question.

In the short clip, Sophie, 31, is seen bawling her eyes out as Jamie, 37, asks: “Wait, why are you upset?”

As she holds her head in her hands, she emotionally expresses: “He’s never going to be that small.”

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He captioned the post: “Reminder… Don’t make your wife a photo album of your newborn baby for Mother’s Day.”

Fans flocked to the comments section as one said: “So valid. You blink and they aren’t the little baby you brought home.”

Another person commented: “That’s the baby bond burrowing it’s way through all the tired days, the hard times and the cray cray. It’s painfully beautiful.”

Somebody else penned: “Bless her, we all know this feeling but the best is yet to come as his little personality develops.

“The days are long but the years are short so just treasure every second.”

Yet another follower gushed: “That’s so sweet. Bless your heart Sophie you’re such a lovely mum.”

While a fifth social media user added: “This was me yesterday, sending you a big hug Sophie.”

The pair announced the arrival of their first child back in December as they took to Instagram to share the news.

Alongside a photo of their baby boy, Jamie wrote: “Ziggy, you have our whole hearts.”

They were flooded with messages from fans and famous pals as Rylan Clark said: “Congrats you two xxx.”

“Congratulations guys,” weighed in Strictly judge Motsi Mabuse. “A new journey begins.”

“You did it mama,” wrote Jessie J.

“Oh my goodness so many congratulations. So excited for you and this amazing new chapter for you all! Biggest hugs,” added This Morning regular Alice Liveing.

Sophie recently opened up about her motherhood journey while attending the Brit Awards with Jamie earlier this month.

During an interview with Chloe Burrows for KISS FM, she was asked: “Is there anything you’re not loving about being a new mum?”

The new mother responded: “The constant mum guilt.”

“You just feel guilty for being here, but then feel guilty… yeah, that’s not good.”

While Jamie added: “The hardest thing about having a baby is the burping.”

Rolling her eyes, Sophie chimed in: “The mums do everything.”

But to that, Jamie claimed: “I mean, this is a joke.”

Moments later, Sophie then shared: “I have the better instincts.”

Stunned by his wife’s claims, Jamie clapped back and snapped: “No, I have better instincts.”

Joking around, the Made in Chelsea icon laughed: “I feel him. I can feel him right now.”

WEARING protective suits, masks, hats and gloves, we approach the buzzing hive in front of us.

The Canarian black bee, our guide tells us, is a hardy species adapted perfectly to the high heat and dry lands that make up Lanzarote’s volcanic climate.

My mum Rhona and I seem to have adapted pretty well ourselves, as we soak up the last of the afternoon sun.

The fourth-largest Canary Island, Lanzarote was the ideal destination for a pre-Mother’s Day trip, with its year-round “eternal spring” climate, lunar-like landscapes and white-sand beaches.

While a fly-and-flop holiday is always tempting, particularly when it’s 21C, I was determined to include some bonding experiences during our visit.

And our beekeeping tour was just that. Ahead of reaching the hive, our guide taught us all about the insects that live there.

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Then, after shedding our protective suits, we were treated to samples of the organic honey, taking note of the sightly different flavours depending on which plants the bees had visited.

We felt fully connected to the surrounding nature.

When we weren’t off exploring, we could relax at the 4H Seaside Los Jameos, in Puerto del Carmen, one of the island’s most popular resorts.

With its beachfront location, palm tree-lined pools, gym, spa and cactus gardens, the recently renovated hotel is an oasis within the town, with plenty of activities on site.

I’m lucky enough to have a mother who can run rings around me, so we started each day with a jog on the beach.

I picked up pace as the week progressed, but never quite managed to catch up with my mum.

It was the perfect way to work up an appetite for the plentiful buffet breakfast.

My highlights were the mimosa station, with crisp cava and freshly squeezed orange juice, and the DIY waffle machines.

In the evenings, guests can expect live entertainment from acts such as an ABBA tribute band, as well as magic shows and children’s discos.

Outside of the hotel, nearby restaurants included beachfront tapas joint Restaurante El Molino, which was within walking distance, and Sebastyan’s Atlantico Lounge on the water (be sure to arrive in time for the stunning sunset).

Lanzarote also has a thriving plonk scene, with wineries dotted all around the island.

Our final First Choice excursion took us on a tasting and museum tour at Bodega Finca Mota, a charming family-run winery surrounded by Lanzarote’s distinctive volcanic landscape, where grapes grow in the black sand.

We started our visit with an introduction to vintage winemaking tools in the museum, before sitting down for some sipping.

We tasted three different wines accompanied by locally-produced cheese and traditionally-cured tuna, and enjoyed it so much we bought a bottle each to take home.

On our final day, we decided to explore the picturesque village of Yaiza, famed for its beautifully maintained whitewashed houses and palm-lined streets.

Mum and I both love to shop, so we enjoyed a potter around the boutiques selling jewellery and ceramics and found a delightful cafe to have coffee and baked goods.

Literally the cherry on top of the cake to end a dreamy Mother’s Day getaway.

SPRING is blooming and what better way to celebrate Mother’s Day than heading out in the sunshine and making use of some ‘mums go free’ deals to top attractions.

I love heading out with my boys, but sometimes it can cost a lot by the time I pay for myself and them.

But when it comes to Mother’s Day, my secret weapon is heading to spots that have a ‘mums go free’ offer.

The offers celebrate Mother’s Day but is a great opportunity for having a fun family day out whilst saving a bit of cash.

One of our favourites as a family is Audley End miniature railway near Saffron Walden in Essex, which is about to launch a new play village in time for its reopening.

Now known as Audley End Enchanted Railway, it’s a must-visit for fans of all things fairy, as the train ride is full of magical moments winding through the woodlands.

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There’s an adventure playground and an elf and fairy walk as well as the new wooden play houses.

And this Mother’s Day weekend, both mums and grandmothers go free.

Just across the road is one of the historic houses looked after by English Heritage.

This year, Mothering Sunday falls during the National Lottery Week, which means free entry to English Heritage sites between March 7 and 15 with a lottery ticket.

At Audley End House and Gardens, one adult and two children can get free entry with each lottery ticket, so you could easily combine the English Heritage deal with the mums go free offer at the miniature railway for a full day of family fun.

While National Trust properties in England and Wales are also taking part in the National Lottery Open Week, many don’t offer free entry on Mothering Sunday, so that’s something to bear in mind.

But there are a number of other big names participating in National Lottery Open Week, such as several RSPB destinations around the UK.

What’s great about lottery week is that it’s not specific to mums – so if you’ve got an important person who you want to celebrate on Mothering Sunday, you can treat them, whoever they are.

As for other offers, you can head to Gulliver’s theme parks and get one adult entry for free with each paying child on March 14 and 15.

We always have a great time when we visit Gulliver’s Land in Milton Keynes, which is perfect for a first theme park visit if you’ve got little ones who haven’t been on rides before.

We especially love the JCB zone near the entrance, which has a covered picnic area where mums can have a coffee while the kids keep themselves occupied with diggers galore.

There are also Gulliver’s sites in Matlock Bath in Derbyshire and in Warrington, so you’re spoilt for choice if you want a fun day out.

These aren’t the only theme parks with offers for Mother’s Day either.

Other attractions include Drayton Manor near Tamworth and Flamingo Land in Yorkshire, both of which let mums go free on Mother’s Day with a full paying child.

Loads of farm parks around the country get in on the act of offering mums free entry and March is the perfect time of year for a visit, with lots of baby animals being born.

Bluebell Dairy near Derby is one example, where my little boy particularly enjoyed the huge jumping pillow and watching the cows in the milking parlour before sampling the ice cream that the farm is famous for.

Some farms are even giving mums a little gift as well as free entry.

Rand Farm Park near Lincoln, lets mums take home a potted plant to mark their special day, while at Thornton Hall Country Park near Skipton, mother figures will be offered a free glass of prosecco or orange juice.

The best way to find somewhere near you is to simply Google search ‘mums go free offer near me’, and you should discover a number of spots where you can save some money this Mother’s Day.

For more places to explore this Mother’s Day weekend, there are hundreds of paid-for attractions with free entry when you have this one item.

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