Doctors in Gaza are reporting unprecedented numbers of miscarriages, premature births, and babies born with severe congenital abnormalities. This devastating health crisis unfolds amid ongoing Israeli bombing and siege. The Palestinian Ministry of Health recorded 3,958 miscarriages during the first six months of 2026 alone, a figure described as “shocking” by Dr. Adnan Radi, head of the Palestinian health ministry's advisory committee.
Sahar al-Majdalawi, a 34-year-old displaced Palestinian woman, lost her pregnancy after seven years of trying to conceive. She endured severe cramps and walked for hours to Al-Awda Hospital in the Nuseirat refugee camp, her journey hampered by destroyed roads and a standstill in transport due to Israeli bombing. Doctors confirmed the fetus had no heartbeat. Majdalawi attributes her loss directly to the war, citing multiple displacements, five injuries from separate air strikes, and famine in northern Gaza. Her home in Jabalia was destroyed, forcing her and her husband into a tent near the Israeli military's “Yellow Line.”
Life in the tent camp presents constant hardship. Majdalawi described sleeping on a paper-thin mattress on uneven ground, enduring extreme summer heat. The persistent thunder of bombardment and the buzz of quadcopter drones overhead, sometimes opening fire, maintain a constant state of psychological distress. Roads in Gaza remain destroyed, and transport is at a standstill due to Israeli military operations.
The economic devastation compounds the suffering. Majdalawi's husband lost his job because of the war. They now depend on charity kitchens for free meals. Buying fresh produce or meat is impossible without income. World Bank data indicates unemployment exceeds 80 percent, with poverty nearing 100 percent across Gaza. Most families rely almost entirely on food aid, primarily consisting of rice, beans, lentils, pasta, and canned meat.
The War's Human Cost
Dr. Radi confirmed the sharp surge in miscarriages during the war years. Official statistics, he noted, undercount the true scale. The Ministry of Health indicated the miscarriage rate could be as high as 70 percent of total births in certain areas, which Radi called “a tragedy.”
Severe anaemia affects around 70 percent of pregnant women in Gaza, a condition exacerbated by widespread malnutrition. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification warned last week that approximately 67 percent of Gaza's population, an estimated 1.4 million people, faces critical or worse levels of acute food insecurity through December. An estimated 25,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women will require urgent nutritional support over the coming year.
Health Crisis Deepens
Radi also highlighted the role of infectious diseases, contaminated water, and poor sanitation. Exposure to toxic dust generated by thousands of tonnes of explosives dropped by the Israeli military contributes significantly. He stated a clear link exists between environmental toxicity, malnutrition, anaemia, and the rise in miscarriages and premature births. Toxic residues from bombardment, he added, could have lasting effects on future generations by altering the genetic landscape.
A sharp increase in premature births before 26 weeks of pregnancy has been observed. Dr. Radi reported a drastic increase in severe foetal abnormalities in recent months. Babies born without limbs or feet, once extremely rare, have become a recurring phenomenon in delivery wards. Hospitals face a critical shortage of neonatal intensive care beds, drastically reducing survival chances for premature babies.
In February 2026, Unicef reported that nearly one in five newborns in Gaza required intensive care or thermal incubation. This necessity stems from maternal malnutrition, chronic stress, and a severe lack of prenatal care.
A Generation Under Siege
Majdalawi expressed her profound fear for the future, stating she doesn't know when she can hold a baby without the terrifying prospect of losing them or seeing them born with deformities. The ongoing conflict continues to exact a devastating toll on Gaza's civilian population, particularly its most vulnerable, threatening the health of an entire generation.