The situation in Gaza and the West Bank remains dire. As hostilities continue, civilian casualties continue to mount, particularly as air strikes target more densely populated communities. Given the already compromised protection and healthcare infrastructures in Gaza, health systems are on the verge of collapse —a reality further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
As in other humanitarian crises, women and girls continue to bear the brunt of these hostilities, placing their lives, dignity, and well-being at risk. There are currently around 87,000 pregnant women in Gaza and vulnerable areas of the West Bank. An estimated 29,000 women will give birth over the next 3 months in these areas.
For both pregnant and lactating women, lack of access to quality healthcare services will further jeopardize their lives and those of their unborn children. Meanwhile, the risks of gender-based violence, including harmful coping mechanisms such as child marriage, inevitably increase during crises, further endangering the lives and wellbeing of women and girls.
