The war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has created a humanitarian nightmare for pregnant women and infants. Israeli airstrikes have forced many families to seek refuge in temporary shelters, jeopardizing the health of newborns. Hospitals, largely out of service, are facing a critical shortage of medical and nutritional resources.
The situation, deemed “nightmarish” by UNFPA officials, underscores the urgent need for international intervention to provide immediate humanitarian aid to this vulnerable population in Gaza.
Makeshift shelters: Seeking refuge amid bombings
Fleeing Israeli airstrikes, many families take refuge in temporary shelters, exposing newborns to precarious conditions. According to Hamas, over 11,000 people, mostly civilians, have lost their lives since the conflict began.
Hospitals, severely impacted by the conflict, are grappling with a critical shortage of medical resources, endangering the health of mothers and their babies. Obstetric complications in pregnant women go unanswered, while infants, deprived of vital treatment such as phototherapy for jaundice, suffer the consequences of a faltering medical infrastructure.
Infants in peril
In Gaza, 50,000 women are expecting, and over 180 mothers give birth daily without knowing where to turn, says Dominic Allen, head of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in the Palestinian Territories.
Mothers, already facing nutritional challenges, see their newborns rejecting breastfeeding. Mrs. Koullab explains, “I am not eating well,” highlighting the difficulty of ensuring adequate nutrition in these circumstances.
Hospitals in crisis: Shortage of care and resources
Difficult living conditions exacerbate these challenges, including limited access to clean water and sufficient food. UNFPA representative Dominic Allen attests to this reality: “We estimate that at least 15% of births will involve complications requiring obstetric care.”
With over half of the hospitals out of service, pregnant women and infants face severe medical consequences. Najwa Salem, a mother of an infant with jaundice, testifies to the insufficiency of resources: “We don’t have enough fuel to provide all the phototherapy sessions.”
The situation is even more alarming with post-Caesarean complications and the risk of infection, as reported by a pregnant woman living in a school in Rafah.
“A humanitarian crisis defying our humanity”
UNFPA representative Dominic Allen describes the situation as “nightmarish.” He emphasizes the urgent need for international intervention to address the pressing needs of pregnant women and infants in Gaza.
“This nightmare in Gaza is more than a humanitarian crisis; it is a crisis of our humanity,” says Allen, highlighting the magnitude of the challenges faced by pregnant women and infants.