Medical authorities in the Gaza Strip recorded 260 cases of congenital malformations in newborns during the first nine months of this year, exceeding the total number of cases recorded throughout 2022, which was 184.
A medical source in the Strip stated on Friday that the number of recorded cases reached 322 in 2025, an increase of 75% compared to 2022. The source indicated that these figures alone are insufficient to determine the rate of malformations among newborns or to establish their causes.
The source called for an independent international scientific investigation to study the reasons for this increase and to examine the role of maternal malnutrition, exposure to pollutants, and the disruption of healthcare services during pregnancy, all exacerbated by the Israeli war on the Strip.
The source explained that the most prominent congenital malformations requiring monitoring and care include cleft lip and palate, lack of differentiation of the external genitalia (making sex determination at birth difficult), shortening of the upper limbs, and umbilical hernias. The source also noted the possibility of a child having more than one malformation.
A report published by Human Rights Watch on January 28, 2025, documented the grave health and humanitarian risks faced by pregnant women in the Gaza Strip as a result of the war, the blockade, the destruction of health facilities, and shortages of food, water, and medicine.
The report indicated that pregnant women suffer from a severe lack of prenatal, intranatal, and postnatal care, in addition to malnutrition, dehydration, anemia, and difficulty accessing hospitals, undergoing examinations, and obtaining essential pregnancy vitamins and supplements.
It added that the decline in maternal and delivery services has led to an increased risk of complications, including bleeding, pre-eclampsia, and infections, due to shortages of incubators and medical supplies, thus endangering the lives of mothers, fetuses, and newborns.
