Displacement Camps in Southern Gaza See Alarming Surge in Miscarriages

A devastating humanitarian crisis is unfolding in southern Rafah as approximately 50,000 pregnant women residing in displacement camps grapple with a severe shortage of essential resources. This poses a grave threat to both their unborn babies and their well-being.

Rabat – A devastating humanitarian crisis is unfolding in southern Rafah as approximately 50,000 pregnant women residing in displacement camps grapple with a severe shortage of essential resources. This poses a grave threat to both their unborn babies and their well-being.

Haider Abu Sunima, the medical director of Tal al-Sultan Hospital for Women and Obstetrics in Rafah, has reported a disturbing rise in the number of miscarriages directly attributed to the challenging war conditions, Al Jazeera reported.

Gaza’s Health Ministry has recorded hundreds of miscarriages and premature births in recent days, citing the impact of “panic and forced flight under brutal bombardment in Gaza.”

According to Ashraf al-Qudra, a spokesperson for the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, stress, panic, and forced displacement under the Israeli occupation forces’ murderous campaign in the Gaza Strip are causing significant health risks for tens of thousands of pregnant women.

“Lack of health care in places of displacement and the difficulty of reaching hospitals exposes the lives of about 60,000 pregnant women to the risk of pregnancy complications,” al-Qudra said.

In addition, overcrowded living conditions, inadequate hygiene practices, and lack of drinking water have led to the spread of several diseases and infections among the already vulnerable population.

Al-Qudra said that the Health Ministry recorded over 8,000 cases of Hepatitis A infection due to low personal hygiene levels in displacement areas.

He warned of a potential doubling of infections across the besieged Gaza Strip and urgently called on international parties to establish effective mechanisms to ensure the flow of medical aid.

The Israeli occupation forces deliberately killed at least 25,295 Palestinians in Gaza since October 7, according to the enclave’s health ministry’s latest update. In addition, Israeli bombardment has injured at least 63,000 Palestinians.

The ministry said that at least 190 Palestinians were deliberately killed in the past 24 hours and 340 were injured.