October 7 was expected to be a day of joy and celebration for Masa's family.

But she was born the same day the war between Israel and Hamas erupted, a conflict that changed her life and the lives of hundreds of thousands Palestinians in Gaza.

Now, she awaits a ceasefire to be the gift to celebrate her second birthday.

Two years into the war in the Gaza Strip, hope among mothers for a sense of normalcy for their young ones has started to wear thin.

Years of repeated displacements, lack of safety and inability to access proper healthcare has left mothers in despair, bidding farewell to their long-lived dreams of providing their toddlers with a happy and fulfilled childhood.

Having given birth to her daughter Masa on October 7, 2023, Rola Saqer said the date would never be forgotten for several reasons.

To Rola and her daughter, these have been two years of suffering and misery.

"The girl has lived through war from the first day until now," Rola said.

"When she sees a warplane or hears the sound, she knows there will be a strike. The warplane will hit. She is not like other children, once she hears the sound of warplanes she will hide. This is a trait that has changed her personality and her life. She will not forget it overnight."

Rola and her husband Mohammed Zaqout held Masa, meaning diamond in Arabic, in their arms, a child they had been trying to have for five years.

Rola , who currently lives in the Nuseirat refugee camp, longs like many for the war to come to an end, hoping this will be a new beginning for her daughter.

Inside their tent, the family of three have little furniture that barely covers their primary needs.

Among a few laundered items hanging to dry, a plastic chair, a carpet and a basic, uncomfortable settee, Masa takes her nap while a few flies attempt to interrupt her peaceful sleep.

"The girl has not experienced a stable life. From one tent to the other, from one place to the other and one displacement to the other," Rola said.

"We were displaced multiple times, and I was hoping the girl would experience a better reality, a better life and better circumstances."

AP video shot by: Abdel Kareem Hana