In Gaza, several premature babies forced to share the same incubator

They have barely been born and already have to share the equipment supposed to keep them alive. In Gaza, several premature babies are today placed two, sometimes three, in the same incubator, due to a lack of places and available medical equipment.

According to information gathered from UNICEF, neonatal services are under extreme pressure, while doctors are seeing a worrying increase in premature births. At the Nasser medical complex in Khan Younes, in the south of the Gaza Strip, the lack of incubators, oxygen and medical equipment forces healthcare teams to care for several newborns in conditions that would be unimaginable in a functioning health system.

According to UNICEF, several factors explain this situation: the malnutrition of pregnant women, the lack of drinking water, the deterioration of hygiene and sanitation conditions, but also the extreme stress to which mothers have been subjected for months. The organization has provided incubators and ventilators to several medical facilities, but the needs remain considerable.

The Gazan health system remains largely paralyzed. According to the latest data from the World Health Organization, only 18 hospitals are still partially operational. The UN also warns of the consequences of restrictions affecting fuel, engine oil and spare parts necessary for the operation of generators. This equipment is essential not only for hospitals, but also for pumping, desalination and sanitation installations.

At the same time, according to the United Nations, around nine out of ten Gaza residents have been displaced at least once since the start of the war, further worsening the living conditions of pregnant women and newborns. In Gaza, the health collapse can now be seen even in the incubators. Newborns too fragile to breathe on their own must share equipment meant to keep them alive. A striking image of the humanitarian catastrophe affecting the civilian population.