Pregnant women need a varied and nutritious diet to maintain their health and that of their children, but many of them in Gaza have nothing to eat, Reham Jaafari, head of communications and advocacy for ActionAid International, warned.

The lack of food greatly affects their ability to safely deliver and breastfeed their newborns, many of whom are born with dangerously low birth weights, he said.

Adnan Radi, a consultant and head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Al Awda Hospital in the Strip, spoke in a similar vein.

They often have nothing to eat and, unfortunately, the nutritional supplements we used to give pregnant women are no longer available, he said.

“There are no vitamins, minerals, iron, fruits, vegetables or anything,” the Palestinian physician stressed.

Radi said that women in the coastal enclave, like the rest of the population, are affected by the devastating consequences of the war, which began nine months ago.

Among them, he cited a lack of primary care, lack of medical follow-up and a sharp increase in the pregnancy rate.

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