Amidst the ongoing crisis in Gaza, the United Nations has reported that approximately 50,000 pregnant women are currently residing in the region, facing significant challenges due to the deterioration of the healthcare system. With over 180 births occurring daily, the situation is exacerbated by what has been described as the “decimation” of Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure.
The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) revealed on Sunday that its medical professionals are making every effort to provide essential care for post-natal and high-risk pregnant women at the seven operational UNRWA health centers. Unfortunately, this represents a stark decline from the 22 centers that were functional before the onset of the deadliest Israeli assault on Gaza.
Expressing grave concern, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Chief of the World Health Organization (WHO), stated, “The decimation of the Gaza health system is a tragedy.” He underscored the dedication of healthcare professionals who, despite constant insecurity and an influx of wounded patients, continue their tireless efforts to save lives. Ghebreyesus reiterated the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire.
The UNRWA cautioned that, despite the escalating healthcare needs, only 38 percent of pre-conflict hospital beds are currently available in the Palestinian territory, with a mere 30 percent of the original health staff still in service. Simultaneously, hospitals, protected under international humanitarian law, have been recurrently targeted by Israeli strikes since the commencement of the war.
As of December 20, the WHO documented 246 Israeli attacks on healthcare infrastructure in Gaza, including hospitals and ambulances. The organization described “unbearable” scenes in badly damaged hospitals in northern Gaza, where largely abandoned patients were pleading for food and water.
The WHO highlighted that only nine out of 36 hospitals in the besieged territory are partially functional, with none operating in the north, as Israel persists in targeting medical facilities. With around 80 percent of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents displaced to southern Gaza, many find themselves crammed into UN schools or seeking refuge in makeshift tents against the cold.
As the 11-week war continues, officials in Gaza report at least 20,424 Palestinians killed, including 166 in the past 24 hours, while tens of thousands remain wounded, and numerous bodies are trapped under rubble. The dire humanitarian situation calls for immediate attention and action to alleviate the suffering of the people in Gaza.
