Due to famine, Gaza women give birth to stillborn babies, says ActionAid

RAMALLAH: ActionAid International said that women in the Gaza Strip are giving birth to stillborn babies due to the increasing risk of famine and the collapse of humanitarian operations. With one-quarter of Gaza's population being one step away from famine and more than a dozen children dying from malnutrition in the north of the enclave, ActionAid is warning that an already extremely strained humanitarian system will face total collapse amidst the apparent looming offensive of Rafah. "Over the last week, aid distributions across Gaza have come under attack, claiming lives while further endangering aid operations," the organization said in a statement. "As a result of the growing attacks on paramedics in Gaza, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society announced last week that it was suspending its medical missions across the Strip. On top of this, UNRWA, the largest aid agency in Gaza, is facing an uncertain future after seeing its budget severely slashed as many large donors and donor nations have withdrawn the ir financial support." 'Many cases were recorded in government hospitals of children who died due to malnutrition. There are many operations that have been performed, like caesarean sections to remove fetuses, [which] died due to malnutrition among women. More than 95% of women [who] come to the hospital and undergo the necessary medical examinations [are suffering] from anemia," the statement added. As western nations increase aid drops of aid into Gaza, ActionAid quoted Amjad Al-Shawa of the Palestinian NGOs Network in Gaza, who explained why it will not be enough to reliably meet the needs of Gazans. His explanation comes as a 14-truck aid convoy was turned away by Israeli forces yesterday in northern Gaza, the first attempted delivery in two weeks by WFP. 'The airdrop [of humanitarian aid] is not enough at all in such conditions; there is a need for land transportation of aid. 'Every day we're in [dire] need of 4,000 truckloads in order to cover the basic needs of these people." Source: Palestine Ne ws and Information Agency – WAFA