Tue Jan 28 05:38:12 UTC 2025: ## Gaza’s Pregnant Women and Newborns Face Catastrophic Healthcare Crisis, HRW Reports

**Ramallah, Palestine** – A new Human Rights Watch (HRW) report reveals a devastating healthcare crisis for pregnant women and newborns in Gaza, stemming from Israel’s 15-month war and subsequent restrictions on humanitarian aid. The report, released Tuesday, details life-threatening conditions exacerbated by overcrowding in hospitals, severe shortages of essential supplies, and the looming impact of new Israeli legislation targeting UNRWA.

The ongoing ceasefire has failed to alleviate the crisis, HRW warns. Hospitals, already struggling with an influx of war casualties, are discharging pregnant women hours after childbirth due to overwhelming capacity. One doctor described placing four or five premature infants in a single incubator due to a critical shortage of resources, resulting in high infant mortality. At least eight infants have died from hypothermia due to lack of adequate shelter.

HRW found that emergency obstetric and newborn care is severely limited, available at only a fraction of Gaza’s health facilities, which are all struggling with unsanitary conditions and shortages of medicine and vaccines. Medical staff, described as “hungry, overworked, and at times under military attack,” are struggling to cope with the overwhelming demands. The report cites a potential 300% increase in miscarriages since the war began in October 2023.

The report accuses Israel of violating the rights of pregnant women and girls, citing violations of their right to dignified care and access to newborn care. New Israeli legislation barring UNRWA from operating in Israel and occupied East Jerusalem, which took effect this week, threatens to further cripple the delivery of humanitarian aid, exacerbating the crisis.

HRW’s Associate Crisis, Conflict and Arms Director, Belkis Wille, stated that the new laws “may lead to pregnant women and newborns suffering even more than they already have.” The organization is urging governments to pressure Israel to address the urgent healthcare needs of Gaza’s population. The report concludes that the ceasefire alone is insufficient to resolve the catastrophic situation faced by pregnant women, newborns, and the broader population of Gaza.

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