Pregnant women in Gaza describe malnutrition and extreme distress caused by Israel's blockade

“I get dizzy and tremble because of the lack of food,” one women who is pregnant in Gaza said.

PREGNANT WOMEN IN Gaza have described how the absence of food and extremely limited access to healthcare caused by Israel’s bombardment and blockade have caused complications in their pregnancies and immense distress.

In Gaza, where a famine has been declared, hundreds of thousands of people are starving or malnourished, including pregnant women, new mothers and infants.

The charity ActionAid Ireland has shared testimonies from women in Gaza describing their experiences and the devastating effects of Israel’s violence and blockading of food and medical supplies.

One of the women, Nevin, who is two months pregnant, said: “There is no food and medical supplies are not available [or] the treatments and vitamins that every pregnant woman needs. Because of the lack of vitamins and adequate treatment, I miscarried twice.”

Duaa, another woman who is pregnant in Gaza, said: “My suffering during pregnancy is, first of all, the lack of food here. I get dizzy and tremble because of the lack of food.”

“There are no treatments or medications; we go to the [humanitarian] agency and come back [with nothing],” Duaa said.

A woman who spoke anonymously to ActionAid said that she has suffered from anaemia, gestational diabetes, high blood pressure and malnutrition during her pregnancy.

“I do not know what to [do to deal with] high blood pressure, diabetes, anaemia, dizziness, lack of food and lack of drink. This is our life in Gaza,” she said.

ActionAid has said that between 70 to 75% of the 300 pregnant and breastfeeding women who visit its partner hospital Al Awda in northern Gaza every day are suffering from malnutrition.

Doctors at the hospital have reported that pregnant women are experiencing serious complications due to starvation and the lack of medications caused by Israel withholding access to supplies.

Dr Yasser, a doctor at the Al Awda hospital, said that women are suffering from malnutrition, which is causing low weight, low fetal weight, decreased fetal movement and poor health of the fetus and mother.

The doctor said that many pregnant women are also suffering from anemia, calcium deficiency, and vitamin D deficiency, all of which negatively impact the health of the woman and their fetus.

Israel is continuing to force Palestinians to leave Gaza City, declaring it as a “dangerous combat zone” today as it plans to seize full control in the city – a move that has been decried by humanitarian organisations internationally.

Gaza’s civil defence agency has reported that 33 people have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza today, bringing the total number of people killed in Gaza to at least 62,966 since October 2023.