Gaza newborns face death and deformities amid the aggression and collapse of the health sector

The Palestinian Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip revealed shocking figures regarding the conditions of newborns during the first half of 2025, amid the ongoing Israeli aggression and the severe collapse of the health system due to the blockade and continuous bombing.
Professor Zaher Al-Wahidi, head of the Health Information Unit at the Ministry of Health, said in an exclusive interview that the Gaza Strip witnessed approximately 17,000 births from the beginning of the year until the end of June.
He pointed out that the “inhumane conditions” experienced by mothers and children have led to an unprecedented rise in deaths, deformities, and miscarriages.

According to the Ministry’s data, 2,600 miscarriages were recorded among pregnant women.
220 fetal deaths were also documented during pregnancy and before birth.
21 newborn deaths were recorded on their first day.
67 babies were born with congenital deformities (0.39%).
2,535 newborns were admitted to incubators (14.91%) due to immediate health problems.
There were also 1,600 cases of underweight babies (9.41%) and 1,460 cases of premature births (8.59%).

Al-Wahidi emphasized that these figures reflect catastrophic indicators.
He said, “We are not just talking about difficult births, but about an entire generation entering life burdened with health risks, amid a medical system collapsed by bombing, medicine shortages, and power outages.”

Local and international medical reports indicate that more than 60% of Gaza’s hospitals are no longer able to receive complicated births.
Health centers lack essential staff and equipment, such as incubators and oxygen, while thousands of cases are crowded together in inhumane conditions.