Online Reporter
Ivan Zhakata
Online Reporter
THE State of Palestine has issued an urgent warning of a catastrophic breakdown of reproductive health services in the Gaza Strip, saying there was widespread starvation, rising infant mortality and a collapsing healthcare system amid continued Israeli military operations and blockade.
Ambassador of the State of Palestine Dr Tamer Almassri said more than 11 000 pregnant women were at risk of starvation, with thousands of lives hanging in the balance due to the lack of medical supplies, fuel and trained health personnel.
“Most births are now happening in tents, bombed-out houses, or in the open streets, under constant bombardment,” he said.
“This is not just a humanitarian crisis, it is the systematic destruction of life.”
Between January and June 2025, Palestinian authorities recorded over 2 600 miscarriages, 1 556 premature births, 220 fetal deaths and 1600 underweight births.
At least 67 congenital malformations were reported, while more than 2 500 newborns have been admitted into overstretched neonatal intensive care units.
“The use of starvation as a weapon of war is a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and constitutes a crime against humanity,” Ambassador Almassri said.
He placed full responsibility for the crisis on the Israeli occupation and accused the international community of failing to intervene effectively.
Since the Israeli military offensive began in October 2023, over 60 1034 Palestinians have been killed, according to figures released by Palestinian authorities.
The humanitarian situation has continued to deteriorate, with severe shortages of food, water, medicine and electricity exacerbating the crisis.
While acknowledging ongoing international airdrops of humanitarian aid into Gaza, Ambassador Almassri said these measures fall far short of addressing the scale of the emergency.
He called for the immediate and unconditional opening of all border crossings to allow for the entry of aid and the return of United Nations agencies.
“We call on the global community to act now. Gaza’s women and children are not statistics — they are human beings entitled to life and dignity.”
Online Reporter