Tue Oct 07 16:29:06 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the article and a rewrite as a news article, keeping in mind the “View From India” perspective:

**Summary:**

A UN official from UNICEF reported that Israel has repeatedly denied requests to move incubators from an evacuated hospital in northern Gaza. This denial worsens the already dire situation in southern Gaza hospitals, which are overcrowded due to ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. The two years of conflict have increased stress and malnutrition among pregnant women, resulting in a rise in premature births. With hospitals in northern Gaza shut down by Israeli assault, the remaining facilities in the south are overwhelmed, forcing mothers to share limited resources, including oxygen, for their newborns. The UN has stated Israel has denied or impeded almost half of their humanitarian missions in Gaza over the past 2 years.

**News Article:**

**GAZA BABIES SHARE OXYGEN MASKS AMIDST ESCALATING CRISIS, UNICEF Blames Israeli Restrictions**

*The Hindu, Geneva – October 7, 2025*

Amidst the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, a harrowing situation is unfolding in Gaza’s hospitals, with newborn babies forced to share oxygen masks due to critical shortages. UNICEF reports that Israeli authorities have repeatedly denied permission to transfer vital incubators from an evacuated hospital in northern Gaza, exacerbating the crisis.

“The situation is simply heartbreaking,” said James Elder, a UNICEF spokesperson, describing scenes of desperation at Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza, where mothers and infants are crammed into overcrowded wards. “Premature babies are being forced to share oxygen masks and beds, a stark indicator of the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding.”

Two years of conflict have taken a severe toll on pregnant women, with increased stress and malnutrition leading to a surge in premature and underweight births. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that newborns now account for a fifth of all births in Gaza. Compounding the problem, recent Israeli military operations in northern Gaza have led to hospital closures, further straining resources in the south.

“We’ve been trying to recover incubators from a hospital that was evacuated in the north, and we’ve had four missions denied simply to get those incubators” stated Elder.

The UN humanitarian office reports that Israel has denied or impeded 45% of its requested humanitarian missions to Gaza since October 7, 2023.

These denials are raising serious concerns within the international community, particularly in India, where there is growing apprehension. While acknowledging Israel’s security concerns, many in India feel there is a need for a more humane approach that prioritizes the well-being of civilians, especially vulnerable populations like mothers and newborns. Calls are mounting for increased diplomatic pressure on Israel to allow the unobstructed passage of humanitarian aid and medical equipment into Gaza.

The situation underscores the urgent need for a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, one that addresses the underlying causes of instability and ensures the protection of civilians on both sides.

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