Nearly 20,000 newborns have been born as a result of the ongoing war in Gaza, and 135,000 children under the age of two are at “severe risk” of malnutrition, UNICEF reported on Friday.
Amidst the ongoing conflict in Gaza since October 7, UNICEF reports a staggering figure of 20,000 babies born during this period, equivalent to one birth approximately every 10 minutes.
UNICEF spokesperson Tess Ingram, in a press briefing in Geneva, emphasized the dire conditions faced by pregnant women and newborns in the Gaza Strip, calling for urgent and intensified actions.
The healthcare system’s collapse has exacerbated the already precarious situation of infant and maternal mortality, making it challenging for mothers to access essential medical care, nutrition, and protection throughout the childbirth process. The impact of war trauma directly contributes to higher rates of undernutrition, developmental issues, and various health complications in newborns.
Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, along with their infants, endure inhumane conditions in makeshift shelters with poor nutrition and unsafe water, putting approximately 135,000 children under the age of two at severe risk of malnutrition, as warned by Ingram.
Regarding the mortality rate among the 20,000 newborns, uncertainty prevails due to the current conditions. However, Ingram expressed concern that children are presently succumbing not only to the humanitarian crisis but also to the direct effects of the conflict, including bombings and gunfire.
The Israeli army’s destructive campaign in Gaza, ongoing since October 7, has resulted in a devastating toll, with Palestinian authorities and the UN reporting 24,620 deaths and 61,830 injuries, predominantly among children and women.
This has led to the displacement of over 85% of the Gaza Strip’s population. The situation remains a grave humanitarian crisis with urgent needs for intervention and support.
