Maternal, newborn deaths in Gaza set to rise, warns UN agency

By Rasa Evrensel

ISTANBUL (AA) - The UN's Palestine refugee agency warned Saturday that it expects a rise in maternal and newborn deaths in the Gaza Strip due to “lack of access to adequate care” amid ongoing attacks and a continued blockade on survival supplies.

In a statement, the UNRWA said: “Women, children and newborns in Gaza are disproportionately bearing the burden of the escalation of hostilities in the occupied Palestinian territory.”

“Maternal deaths are expected to increase given the lack of access to adequate care,” the agency said.

“The bombardments, damaged or non-functioning health facilities, massive levels of displacement, collapsing water and electricity supplies as well as restricted access to food and medicines, are severely disrupting maternal, newborn, and child health services,” the agency added.

The agency stressed that “an immediate humanitarian pause is needed to alleviate the suffering and prevent a desperate situation from becoming catastrophic.”

This week the Israeli army expanded its air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip, which has been under relentless airstrikes since a surprise offensive by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7.

Nearly 11,000 people have been killed in the conflict, including 9,488 Palestinians and more than 1,538 Israelis.

While continuing its cutoff of electricity, fuel, and water supplies to Gaza, over the last week Israel let in a trickle of humanitarian aid, but far less than what the strip’s 2.3 million residents need to survive.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi