Gaza — A critical health crisis is emerging for women, children, and newborns in Gaza as ongoing Israeli strikes exacerbate vulnerabilities, the United Nations agencies reported this week. The UNICEF, UNRWA, UNFPA, and WHO have jointly expressed grave concern for the disproportionate toll on these groups due to the current hostilities.
According to Palestine news & Information Agency – WAFA, as of 3 November, 2,326 women and 3,760 children have perished in the Gaza Strip since the escalation of the Israeli military campaign, constituting 67 percent of all recorded casualties. Daily casualty reports indicate that approximately 420 children are either killed or wounded, including infants.
UN agencies have pointed out that the Israeli bombardments have severely disrupted essential health services by damaging infrastructure, displacing large populations, and leading to the collapse of water and electrical supplies, alongside hampering access to food and medical provisions.
An estimated 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza are facing an acute lack of necessary obstetric care, with 180 childbirths recorded per day and a 15 percent chance of birth-related complications. The closure of 14 hospitals and 45 primary healthcare centers has compelled women to deliver in perilous conditions, without access to emergency obstetric services, increasing the risk of infection and medical complications.
Newborns are at particular risk, as the UN warns that the shortage of fuel for hospitals could prove fatal for the 130 premature babies dependent on intensive neonatal care. The lack of functional medical equipment due to power shortages poses an imminent threat to their survival.
Conditions in UNRWA shelters housing over half of Gaza’s population are deteriorating, with shortages of food and water leading to malnutrition and dehydration, as well as the proliferation of waterborne diseases. The initial assessments by UNRWA suggest that 4,600 displaced pregnant women and roughly 380 newborns are in urgent need of medical care within these facilities.
The UN agencies underscored the urgent need for humanitarian corridors to facilitate the safe passage of medical supplies, food, water, and fuel into Gaza. Since 7 October, no fuel deliveries have entered the region, severely crippling the operation of hospitals, water treatment plants, and bakeries, and further jeopardizing the lives of the vulnerable population.