Children born into hell

UNICEF spokesperson Tess Ingram referred to the circumstances facing children born in Gaza amid the most recent intensification of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as being like “born into hell.” Released on January 19, 2024, this statement was included in a news release headed “Born into hell: Nearly 20,000 babies born into war in the Gaza Strip.”

The horrible conditions that youngsters in Gaza endured throughout the fighting served as the foundation for Ingram’s statement. The following were emphasized in the press release:

In just 105 days, almost 20,000 babies were born into the fighting. According to this, a child is born into a battle every ten minutes.

Mothers were being released from hospitals following Caesarean sections in as little as three hours because of overcrowding and a shortage of staff.
This increased the risk of emotional trauma, preterm labor, miscarriages, stillbirths, and maternal death for both moms and babies.

A little over 135,000 young children under the age of two were at danger of suffering from acute malnutrition.

Even worse conditions existed in the northern section of Gaza, but UNICEF was unable to reach the region because of the ongoing fighting.

Whether or not Ingram’s assessment of the circumstances as being “born into hell” is correct is debatable. Nonetheless, it is certain that the circumstances facing children in Gaza during the conflict were exceedingly hazardous and challenging.

Here are some more details regarding the state of affairs in Gaza:

• Israel and Hamas have been engaged in conflict since May 2021, with periods of inactivity between them.
• Thirteen Israelis and nearly 2,300 Palestinians have died as a result of the violence.
• The UN has demanded that all parties observe international law and that there be a truce.