Gaza health crisis: rising miscarriages and breastfeeding challenges amid war

A United Nations report released in early 2026 documented a sharp increase in miscarriages in Gaza, with 3,950 cases recorded between January and June 2026 compared with 1,197 in the second half of 2025. The same data showed a 3.2% decline in the birth rate over the same period. Health officials in the Strip, including Dr Adnan Radi of the Gaza Health Ministry, said premature births before 26 weeks have surged and neonatal intensive‑care capacity is critically short, leaving many newborns with low survival chances. Congenital abnormalities are also reported more frequently, a trend linked by some researchers to exposure to white‑phosphorus attacks.

A separate UN assessment found that more than one in ten women with infants in Gaza face serious breastfeeding difficulties, driven by ongoing military activity, food insecurity and poor living conditions. Save the Children’s regional director Ahmad Alhendawi urged the opening of additional crossing points and the removal of aid restrictions, noting that many mothers are forced to supplement or replace breast milk with water mixed with chickpeas or tahini. The organization is providing nutrition supplements, counseling and cash assistance to a limited number of families, but funding shortfalls and access constraints hamper broader delivery of essential health and nutrition services.