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2023–2024 Gaza Strip preterm births

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2023–2024 Gaza Strip preterm births
Part of the Israel–Hamas war and the Gaza humanitarian crisis

Premature babies at Al-Shifa
Date21 October 2023 – present
(1 year and 2 weeks)
Location
Gaza Strip
Status Ongoing
Casualties and losses
31+ dead[a]

The Gaza Strip faced a premature baby crisis during the Israel–Hamas war. The situation escalated when the Israeli Defense Forces raided Al-Shifa Hospital, Al-Nasr Children's Hospital, and Kamal Adwan Hospital. Reports of premature babies in intensive care, added to concerns about the rising number of preterm births in Gaza.[5] The newborns gained global attention.[6]

Background

Starting on 21 October, Medical Aid for Palestinians and UNICEF issued an "urgent warning" that 130 premature babies would die if fuel did not reach Gaza hospitals soon.[7][8] On 23 October, officials in Gaza confirmed that due to the Israeli siege on fuel, when hospitals lost electricity, premature babies in NICUs were at risk of death.[9][10]

Al-Shifa Hospital

See also: Al-Shifa Hospital siege

On 11 November, IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari stated the army would help evacuate babies from al-Shifa Hospital, but a Gaza Health Ministry spokesman stated Israel had not provided "any mechanism to get the babies out to a safer hospital."[11][12] The same day, Physicians for Human Rights stated two premature babies had died due to the loss of electricity.[13] Two additional babies died soon after.[14] The babies were reported to be suffering from severe hypoglycemia — insufficient blood sugar.[15]

On 15 November, Israel launched a raid on al-Shifa Hospital, where three dozen premature babies were still sheltering.[16] The director of Al-Shifa stated Israel's claim that it had provided incubators to premature babies was false.[17] One mother reported believing that her premature son was going to die.[18] On 19 November, 31 premature babies at al-Shifa were evacuated by the Palestinian Red Crescent, WHO, and UNOCHA to southern Gaza.[19] They were planned to be moved to Egypt with their families the following day.[20] On 20 November, 28 of the babies were evacuated to Egypt.[21] Only eight were accompanied by their parents, as the others were orphans, or their parents were unable to leave Gaza.[22] At least two sets of parents were reunited with their babies in Egypt after being added to an urgent list of medical travelers.[23] As of November 20, 2023 eight babies were reported as having died at al-Shifa during that month.[1]

Al-Nasr Children’s Hospital

On 10 November, Doctors Without Borders reported that evacuating medical workers at Al-Nasr Children's Hospital had to leave babies in incubators after the IDF bombed the pediatric hospital.[24][25] On 29 November, video footage from Al-Nasr showed the aftermath of the hospital's evacuation, with the five premature babies dead still in their incubators.[26] The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor confirmed the Al-Nasr infants' deaths.[27] They stated the IDF had indicated to hospital staff they would evacuate the babies, though the IDF denied any involvement.[28][29] In a recording of a phone call between COGAT and a medical official, the IDF official confirmed ambulances would retrieve patients from al-Nasr, but hospital officials stated the ambulances never arrived.[3][30] The Red Cross stated they were "devastated" by the footage and denied they were responsible for their abandonment.[31]

Other hospitals

In mid-December 2023, Israel began a military siege and raid on the Kamal Adwan hospital. On 14 December, the Gaza Health Ministry reported IDF soldiers had prevented medical staff from continuing support to 12 babies in intensive care.[32] Three premature babies had died at Kamal Adwan in November following a power outage.[2] In October 2024, premature babies at the Kamal Adwan hospital were evacuated as Israeli soldiers encircled Jabalia refugee camp in advance of a ground offensive.[33]

On 20 February 2024, the deputy director of the Al-Helal Al-Emairati Maternity Hospital in Rafah stated "several" premature babies had died in the hospital and said that the "health sector has been completely destroyed."[34] On 21 February, the Al-Helal hospital stated it was struggling to "provide adequate care" to premature and newborn babies due to the conflict nearby.[35]

Rise in preterm births

A pediatric doctor at the Emirati Hospital in Rafah, stated the number of premature babies born in Gaza had risen sharply.[23] On 23 November, Oxfam stated the number of premature births had risen by nearly one-third due to factors like stress and trauma.[36] In February 2024, the UN Population Fund reported that the anxiety mothers were experiencing due to incessant bombings and fleeing for safety had led to a rise in premature births.[37] In July 2024, Doctors Without Borders reported a rise in pre-term deliveries in southern Gaza.[38]

Destruction of embryos

A single strike on Gaza City's Al Basma IVF center, Gaza's largest IVF centre, destroyed most of the frozen IVF Embryos in the Gaza Strip.[39][40] It destroyed 4000 human embryos and an additional 1000 samples of frozen sperms and eggs.[41][42] The embryos were stored in liquid nitrogen, which did not require electricity to maintain; they only needed to be topped up once per month.[39] But the blast blew the lid off 5 tanks, causing the liquid to quickly evaporate, which caused the embryos to defrost and die.[41] They are 9 or more clinics in the Gaza Strip that perform IVF related procedures, but most of the embryos were stored in 5 liquid nitrogen tanks at the at the Al Basma center.[39] The clinic was established in 1997 by obstetrician and gynecologist Bahaeldeen Ghalayini.[43] Bahaeldeen Ghalayini said a single Israeli shell struck the part of the centre where there embryos were stored on the ground floor, but he said he did not know if the lab had been specifically targeted by the strike.[43]

See also

Notes

  1. ^

References

  1. ^ a b al-Mughrabi, Nidal. "Premature Gaza babies evacuated to Egypt as Israeli tanks encircle second hospital". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2023-12-13. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Press Summaries on the War on Gaza, November 22–25". Institute for Palestine Studies. Archived from the original on 19 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  3. ^ a b Berger, Miriam; Hill, Evan; Balousha, Hazem. "A Gaza hospital evacuated, four fragile lives and a grim discovery". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 3 December 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  4. ^ Jahjouh, Mohammed; Jeffrey, Jack; Keath, Lee (8 March 2024). "It's not just Israeli bombs that have killed children in Gaza. Now some are dying of hunger too". Associated Press. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  5. ^ "Premature babies evacuated from Al-Shifa Hospital, health officials say". CBC. Archived from the original on 20 November 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  6. ^ Shamseldin, Mai. "Mother of one of 28 Gaza babies moved to Egypt recounts her ordeal". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2023-12-01. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  7. ^ Medical Aid for Palestinians [@MedicalAidPal] (21 October 2023). "🚨 URGENT UPDATE: Doctors in #Gaza have issued an urgent warning that the lives of 130 premature babies are in imminent danger if fuel does not reach hospitals soon" (Tweet). Retrieved 22 October 2023 – via Twitter.
  8. ^ "Let's recap what has happened so far" Archived 2023-11-07 at the Wayback Machine. Al Jazeera. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  9. ^ "3 premature babies die at Al-Shifa Hospital: Doctor". ABC News. Archived from the original on 20 November 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  10. ^ Magdy, Samy; Shurafa, Wafaa; Kullab, Samya. "Dwindling fuel supplies for Gaza's hospital generators put premature babies in incubators at risk". ABC News. Archived from the original on 23 October 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  11. ^ Rosenzweig-Ziff, Dan. "Medical workers trapped at main Gaza City hospital; IDF offers to move babies". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  12. ^ "No way to evacuate babies to a safer hospital: Health Ministry". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  13. ^ "2 premature babies die at Gaza hospital: Israeli NGO". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  14. ^ Yee, Vivian (19 November 2023). "Premature Babies Are Evacuated From Embattled Hospital in Gaza". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 22 November 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  15. ^ Loveluck, Louisa; Harb, Hajar. "A Gazan family, a premature newborn, a painful choice to stay". The Washington Post. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  16. ^ Boxerman, Aaron (14 November 2023). "Babies are among the thousands inside Al-Shifa as Israeli troops close in". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 15 November 2023. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  17. ^ "Israel's claims of providing incubators 'false', says al-Shifa director". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 18 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  18. ^ Shawkat, Ahmed (21 December 2023). "Gaza mother "lost hope" that her son, born in a war zone, had survived. Now they're finally together". CBS News. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  19. ^ "Palestinian Red Crescent, UN agencies evacuate Al Shifa premature babies". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2023-11-20. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  20. ^ Jobain, Najib; Magdy, Samy (19 November 2023). "31 'very sick' babies have been evacuated from Gaza's largest hospital, where trauma patients remain". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  21. ^ Mpoke Bigg, Matthew (20 November 2023). "28 Premature Babies Evacuated From Gazan Hospital Arrive in Egypt". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 22 November 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  22. ^ "Two Premature Babies Died Before Evacuation From Gaza: UN". Barron's. Agence France Presse. Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  23. ^ a b Alsaafin, Linah; Humaid, Maram. "Emaciated but alive: Gaza mothers, premature babies reunited in Egypt". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 16 December 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  24. ^ Parker, Claire. "North Gaza hospitals have turned into 'a graveyard,' Doctors Without Borders says". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  25. ^ Kilbride, Erin; Van Esveld, Bill (December 2023). "Birth and Death Intertwined in Gaza Strip". Human Rights Watch. Archived from the original on 1 December 2023. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  26. ^ * "Alarming footage shows Israel left premature babies to die alone in Gaza hospital it forcefully evacuated". The New Arab. 29 November 2023. Archived from the original on 29 November 2023. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  27. ^ "We call for an international investigation into the responsibility of the Israeli army for leaving 5 infants to die in Gaza". Euro-Med Monitor (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 29 November 2023. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  28. ^ MacDonald, Alex. "Israel-Palestine war: Five dead premature babies discovered in Gaza hospital". Middle East Eye. Archived from the original on 29 November 2023. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  29. ^ "Israel Blasts 'Perverse Exploitation of Innocent Lives' After Story About Babies Found Dead in Gaza Hospital Circulates". The Algemeiner. Archived from the original on 1 December 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  30. ^ Goodwin, Allegra (8 December 2023). "Infants found dead and decomposing in evacuated hospital ICU in Gaza. Here's what we know". CNN. Archived from the original on 17 December 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  31. ^ ICRC [@ICRC] (30 November 2023). "We have seen the footage circulating of deceased newborn babies and claims suggesting that ICRC left or abandoned these babies at the Al Nasr Hospital in northern Gaza. This is false" (Tweet). Retrieved 30 November 2023 – via Twitter.
  32. ^ "Hostilities in the Gaza Strip and Israel Flash Update #69". UNOCHA. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  33. ^ Knell, Yolande. "Hospitals move patients as Israeli tanks encircle Jabalia camp". BBC. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  34. ^ "Hospital in Rafah overcrowded with orphans, premature babies". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  35. ^ "Premature babies at risk as Gaza hospital struggles with limited resources, overcrowding". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  36. ^ Farge, Emma. "More premature babies born in Gaza due to stress, trauma -Oxfam". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2023-12-04. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  37. ^ "Hostilities in the Gaza Strip and Israel Flash Update #126". ReliefWeb. UNOCHA. 26 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  38. ^ "Maternal and child health suffer under a decimated system". Doctors Without Borders. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  39. ^ a b c "'5,000 Lives in One Shell' - Israeli Strike Destroyed IVF Embryos in Gaza's Largest Fertility Clinic". Haaretz. 18 April 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  40. ^ "Gaza's IVF embryos destroyed by Israeli strike". The Sydney Morning Herald. 18 April 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  41. ^ a b Salem, Saleh; Creidi, Imad; Mills, Andrew. "Gaza's IVF embryos destroyed by Israeli strike". Reuters. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  42. ^ "Gaza's IVF embryos destroyed: 5,000 lives likely lost in Israeli strike on clinic". www.telegraphindia.com. 18 April 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  43. ^ a b "'5,000 Lives in One Shell' - Israeli Strike Destroyed IVF Embryos in Gaza's Largest Fertility Clinic". Haaretz. 18 April 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024. Ghalayini said a single Israeli shell struck the corner of the center, blowing up the ground floor embryology lab. He does not know if the attack specifically targeted the lab or not.
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