Newborns in Gaza are facing a surge in severe congenital anomalies and stillbirths as the effects of the ongoing war devastate maternal and neonatal health, according to reporting by aljazeera.com.
At Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza, medical staff are treating infants with life-threatening conditions linked to the harsh living conditions in the territory. Two-month-old Osama, for example, was born with a hole in his heart and enlarged brain ventricles.
His mother, Najia Zurub, has remained at the hospital since his birth. She reported that her pregnancy was physically exhausting due to widespread food shortages and living in tents without access to safe drinking water.
“I became pregnant with him during the war, and the pregnancy was exhausting due to the lack of food,” Zurub told aljazeera.com.
Doctors at the facility confirmed that Osama’s condition is not genetic, noting no family history of such health issues. He shares a ward with other infants, including two-week-old Ahmed, who suffers from hydrocephalus, and two-month-old Suheir, who has multiple deformities affecting her mouth and ears.
A growing health crisis
Health officials in Gaza report that the frequency of these anomalies is unprecedented. According to the Ministry of Health, cases of congenital anomalies doubled in 2025 compared to 2022 levels.
Stillbirth rates have also surged by 140 percent during the same period. Last year, the ministry recorded 457 neonatal deaths, a 50 percent increase from pre-war figures.
Zaher al-Wahidi, director of the Health Information Unit at the Health Ministry, attributed these numbers to five primary factors: widespread hunger, declining healthcare services, severe overcrowding, contaminated drinking water, and the impact of Israeli air attacks.
Asaad al-Nawajha, a pediatrician and neonatology specialist at Nasser Hospital, noted that these conditions often develop when a fetus is exposed to environmental stressors during the first trimester. He warned that depleted medical resources mean some affected infants cannot receive necessary treatment.
The conflict has already claimed at least 20,000 children and disrupted the ability of many Palestinian women to carry pregnancies to term. While live births plummeted by over 30 percent during peak bombardment, recent numbers remain well below pre-war levels.
