Gaza: Rare birth defects in children born during the Israeli offensive

The Gaza Strip is witnessing a significant increase in the number of children born with rare birth defects during the Israeli offensive on the territory, amidst the collapse of the medical system and shortages of food and medicine resulting from the two-year-long blockade.

Families and doctors are facing immense difficulties in providing the necessary healthcare for these newborns.

One mother recounts her ordeal with her child, who was born weighing no more than 900 grams and suffering from severe oxygen deprivation, which caused him to experience muscle atrophy, weakness, developmental delays, and seizures.

She says, “From four to six months old, I was constantly by his side in hospitals… his condition is extremely difficult,” indicating the impossibility of providing adequate care under the current circumstances.

Doctors confirm that “the number of cases has increased dramatically compared to before the war,” noting that “Gaza was already among the regions with the highest rates of birth defects globally, but the war has exacerbated these figures to an unprecedented degree.”

One doctor explains that “deformities have increased, especially in the heart, skeletal structure, and metabolic enzyme disorders,” noting that “malnutrition, lack of medication, exposure to toxins, and psychological stress during pregnancy are all factors that directly affect fetal development.”

Another mother recounts the suffering of her daughter, who was born with a severe facial deformity and a grade three cleft lip, forcing her to rely on a feeding tube because she is unable to breastfeed, amidst suffocating living conditions and constant shelling.

She points out that “her daughter was supposed to undergo surgeries during her first year, but the healthcare system has collapsed, and no operations can be performed here.”

Doctors indicate “severe overcrowding in the wards designated for these cases, where one ward—with a capacity of no more than 30 beds—is housing approximately 140 children, forcing medical staff to place two children in a single bed or on the floor in the corridors.”

Doctors emphasize that “adequate food and medicine are essential for these children’s survival, and their suffering is exacerbated by the ongoing siege and deteriorating humanitarian conditions.”

The health sector was directly targeted during the offensive; 38 hospitals, 96 healthcare centers, and 197 ambulances were bombed, destroyed, or rendered inoperable, according to data from the Government Media Office in Gaza.