The ongoing conflict in Gaza has created a dire humanitarian crisis, notably for pregnant women, new mothers, and newborns. A recent report by Human Rights Watch, titled “5 Children in One Incubator: Violations of the Rights of Pregnant Women During the Israeli Attack on Gaza”, highlights the severe impact of the Israeli blockade and military operations on maternal and neonatal health.
Since the escalation of hostilities in October 2023, the Gaza strip has faced an unprecedented collapse of its healthcare system. The report,based on interviews with 17 individuals—including pregnant women,medical staff,and humanitarian workers—reveals that women and girls are enduring pregnancies without access to basic healthcare,sanitation,water,or food. “Since the Israeli war on Gaza, women and girls have passed a period of pregnancy in which they lack the minimum health care,” the report states.The blockade has severely restricted humanitarian aid,while attacks on medical facilities have left the healthcare system in ruins. as of January 2025, only 7 of 18 partially functioning hospitals, 4 of 11 field hospitals, and one community health center provide emergency obstetric and neonatal care. This is a stark contrast to the 20 healthcare institutions operational before October 7,2023.
The report also highlights the overcrowded and unsanitary conditions in remaining medical facilities. women are often discharged just hours after giving birth to make room for war-injured patients. “All medical facilities in Gaza are working in unhealthy conditions that witness a serious crowd and shortage of basic health materials, including medicines and vaccines,” the report notes.Compounding the crisis, two new Israeli laws enacted in January 2025 have further hindered humanitarian efforts. These laws restrict the operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which provides essential services like water, food, and shelter to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, including pregnant women and newborns. Israel has demanded that UNRWA evacuate its facilities in occupied East jerusalem by January 30, 2025, effectively cutting off critical aid to Gaza.
The report underscores the lack of medical follow-up for women and newborns, with minimal data available on neonatal survival rates or maternal health outcomes. “Women, girls, and newborns did not get almost any degree of medical follow-up and post-birth health care,” it states.
Key Statistics: Gaza’s healthcare Crisis
| Aspect | Before october 2023 | As of January 2025 |
|———————————|————————–|————————-|
| Functional Hospitals | 20 | 7 |
| Field Hospitals | N/A | 4 |
| Community Health Centers | N/A | 1 |
| Population Displaced | N/A | 1.9 million |
| UNRWA Operations | Fully operational | Severely Restricted |
The situation in Gaza is a stark reminder of the human cost of conflict. As the international community grapples with how to respond, the voices of those most affected—women, girls, and newborns—must not be ignored.
For more information on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, visit Human Rights Watch and Al Jazeera.
Gaza’s Pregnant Women and Newborns Face Dire Conditions Amid Israeli Siege
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached catastrophic levels, with pregnant women, newborns, and children under fifteen bearing the brunt of the ongoing Israeli siege.According to recent reports, the rate of spontaneous abortions in Gaza has surged by 300% since October 7, 2023, as maternity health experts struggle to provide care under dire conditions.
A Crisis of Survival
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that as December 26, 2023, eight infants have died due to hypothermia caused by the lack of basic shelter and plummeting winter temperatures. “We have to put four or five children in one incubator … and most of them do not survive,” a medical worker stated.
The Israeli government’s blockade has severely restricted access to essential supplies, including food, water, and medical resources. Human Rights Watch has condemned the siege as a purposeful use of starvation as a warfare method, leaving most of Gaza’s population food insecure. Pregnant women and girls face immense challenges in maintaining the nutrition and health necessary for their well-being and fetal development.
Health Risks and Deprivation
The deprivation of clean water has exacerbated health conditions, leading to severe complications such as anemia, pregnancy poisoning, and blood infections. “pregnant women in Gaza are almost no opportunity to evacuate,” the report noted, despite international human rights law guaranteeing civilians the right to leave for medical reasons.
One pregnant woman shared her harrowing experience: “I was starving,and we were all living a famine in northern Gaza. We did not have cooking gas, and we were eating one meal a day to provide firewood … the flour was very, very expensive. No food. No chicken.” She also described her deteriorating health: “I originally had a decrease in blood pressure,and I fell a lot.”
When her family took her to a private clinic in rafah, the doctor could only perform an ultrasound and was unable to provide vitamins or calcium due to the lack of medical supplies.
International Law Violations
Under international humanitarian law, the Israeli authorities are obligated to ensure the civilian population’s access to food, water, and medical supplies. Specifically, they must allow the passage of shipments allocated for children under fifteen, pregnant women, and postpartum women. However, these obligations have been repeatedly violated, according to Human rights Watch.
The report calls on israel’s allies, including the United States, to take immediate action to end these violations. It urges governments to halt military aid, review bilateral agreements—such as the European Union-Israel partnership and the U.S.-Israel free trade agreement—and support accountability efforts through the International Criminal Court.
Calls for Global Support
Governments are also urged to support UNRWA’s efforts in Gaza by providing necessary resources and pressuring Israel to allow specialists unrestricted entry into the region. “The stark and repeated violations committed by the Israeli authorities of international humanitarian law and the Human Rights Law in Gaza have a special and sharp impact on pregnant women, girls, and newborns,” the report emphasized.
Key Statistics
| Issue | Details |
|——————————–|—————————————————————————–|
| Spontaneous Abortions | increased by 300% since October 7, 2023 |
| Infant Deaths | 8 infants died due to hypothermia since December 26, 2023 |
| Food Insecurity | Most of gaza’s population faces starvation due to the Israeli blockade |
| Water Deprivation | Lack of clean water exacerbates health conditions |
| Medical Supplies | severe shortages of vitamins, calcium, and other essential resources |
Conclusion
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza demands urgent global attention and action. Pregnant women, newborns, and children are among the most vulnerable, facing life-threatening conditions due to the ongoing siege. Governments and international organizations must prioritize their support to ensure the survival and well-being of Gaza’s civilian population.
Call to Action: Advocate for immediate humanitarian aid and accountability by contacting your representatives and supporting organizations like UNICEF and Human Rights Watch. Together, we can help alleviate the suffering in Gaza.nIn the midst of the ongoing conflict in the gaza Strip, Palestinian women and girls are facing unimaginable challenges, particularly during pregnancy and childbirth. One woman’s harrowing experience sheds light on the dire conditions that many are enduring. Suffering from multiple infections, she avoided seeking medical care because she had heard that clinics were devoid of essential medications. Her story is a stark reminder of the healthcare crisis exacerbated by the war.
On may 5, the woman went into labor under the most trying circumstances. “The labor came to me at 2 am. I felt very pain, and we were looking for a way to get to the hospital,” she recounted. Upon arrival, the lack of medical attention was alarming. “No nurse came to my disclosure, observation, or asking about my current,” she said. Just four hours after giving birth to her daughter, she was discharged from the hospital, exhausted and barely able to walk.
The ordeal did not end there. “I was carrying my new baby, with my husband and the other three children, we looked for a person to connect us (to my father’s house). It took hours until a car stopped. My husband told the driver that we would give him anything (if we arrive),” she shared. The family’s struggles continued as they were forced to evacuate from Rafah to Khan Yunis, where they lived in a tent under harsh conditions.Tragically, her newborn daughter sustained injuries that could threaten her life.
This woman’s experience is not isolated. The challenges of pregnancy and childbirth in Gaza have become increasingly severe as the war began in 2023. The lack of medical supplies, inadequate healthcare facilities, and the constant threat of violence have created a humanitarian crisis for pregnant women and new mothers.
| Key Challenges Faced by Pregnant Women in Gaza | |
|—————————————————-|–|
| Lack of medical supplies | Clinics frequently enough run out of essential medications. |
| Inadequate healthcare facilities | Hospitals are overwhelmed and understaffed. |
| Forced evacuations | Families are frequently displaced, living in tents. |
| threat to newborns | Injuries and lack of medical care endanger infants. |
The plight of Palestinian women and girls in Gaza underscores the urgent need for international attention and humanitarian aid. Their stories of resilience and survival amidst such adversity are a call to action for the global community to address the healthcare crisis in the region.
Q&A: The Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza and Its Impact on Pregnant Women
Editor: Can you describe the conditions pregnant women in Gaza are facing due to the ongoing conflict?
Guest: The conditions are dire. Pregnant women are struggling with severe food insecurity,lack of access to clean water,and inadequate medical care.Many are forced to eat only one meal a day due to the Israeli blockade, which has led to widespread famine. For instance, one woman shared how she was starving and living in northern Gaza, where cooking gas was unavailable, and flour prices were exorbitant.Her health deteriorated significantly, with frequent falls due to low blood pressure.
Editor: How is the lack of medical supplies affecting pregnant women and newborns?
Guest: The shortage of medical supplies is catastrophic. Clinics and hospitals are unable to provide essential medications like vitamins and calcium, which are crucial for pregnant women. When one woman was taken to a private clinic in Rafah, the doctor coudl only perform an ultrasound but couldn’t offer any treatment due to the lack of supplies.This has led to a 300% increase in spontaneous abortions sence October 7, 2023. Newborns are also at risk, with eight infants dying from hypothermia as December 26, 2023.
Editor: What are the key violations of international humanitarian law in this context?
Guest: Under international humanitarian law, israeli authorities are obligated to ensure the civilian population’s access to food, water, and medical supplies. Specifically, they must allow the passage of shipments for children under fifteen, pregnant women, and postpartum women. However, these obligations have been repeatedly violated. Human Rights Watch has documented these violations and called for immediate action to end them, including halting military aid and supporting accountability efforts through the International criminal Court.
Editor: What role can the international community play in alleviating this crisis?
guest: The international community must step up its efforts. Governments, including the United States and the European Union, should review bilateral agreements like the EU-Israel partnership and the U.S.-Israel free trade agreement. They should also support UNRWA’s efforts in Gaza by providing necessary resources and pressuring Israel to allow specialists unrestricted entry into the region.Organizations like UNICEF and human Rights Watch are crucial in advocating for immediate humanitarian aid and accountability.
Editor: What are the key statistics that highlight the severity of the situation?
Guest: Here are some alarming statistics:
- Spontaneous Abortions: Increased by 300% since October 7, 2023.
- Infant Deaths: Eight infants died due to hypothermia since December 26, 2023.
- Food Insecurity: Most of Gaza’s population faces starvation due to the Israeli blockade.
- Water Deprivation: Lack of clean water exacerbates health conditions.
- Medical Supplies: severe shortages of vitamins, calcium, and other essential resources.
Editor: What is the call to action for people who want to help?
Guest: People can advocate for immediate humanitarian aid and accountability by contacting their representatives and supporting organizations like UNICEF and Human rights Watch. Raising awareness and putting pressure on governments to take action is crucial. Together, we can help alleviate the suffering in Gaza and ensure the survival and well-being of its civilian population, especially the most vulnerable like pregnant women, newborns, and children.
Conclusion
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza demands urgent global attention and action. Pregnant women, newborns, and children are among the most vulnerable, facing life-threatening conditions due to the ongoing siege. Governments and international organizations must prioritize their support to ensure the survival and well-being of gaza’s civilian population.by advocating for immediate humanitarian aid and accountability, we can make a significant difference in alleviating the suffering in Gaza.
