The spokesman for Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in central Gaza has issued a dire warning about the escalating humanitarian catastrophe gripping the territory, particularly for tens of thousands of vulnerable pregnant and nursing women.

Khalil al-Daqran, speaking to Voice of Palestine, said the lives of more than 50,000 pregnant and nursing women are now in serious danger due to severe malnutrition and the near-total collapse of Gaza’s health system under Israel’s ongoing blockade and bombardment.

Al-Daqran highlighted alarming statistics, reporting a six-fold increase in miscarriage rates since the beginning of the war, along with a sharp surge in premature births. “Our neonatal care units are overwhelmed and operating far beyond their capacity,” he said, describing scenes of helplessness and despair as incubators and life-saving equipment run out or break down under the strain.

According to al-Daqran, Israel’s systematic targeting of Gaza’s healthcare system has pushed medical services to the brink of collapse. He revealed that over 23 hospitals have gone completely out of service, while the few remaining are barely functioning. Staff are working under unimaginable conditions, contending with critical shortages of essential medicines, medical equipment, and fuel needed to power generators and life-support systems.

“Doctors are performing surgeries without anesthesia. Mothers are giving birth in corridors. Cancer patients are left to die in agony,” al-Daqran lamented.

The hospital spokesman also drew attention to the plight of more than 12,000 cancer patients in Gaza who have been denied access to treatment due to Israel's blockade and the destruction of oncology departments. He reported that an average of five cancer patients are dying each day, a grim statistic reflecting the deliberate strangulation of critical health services.

Patients with kidney failure are also dying at an alarming rate. Dialysis sessions have been dramatically reduced or halted altogether, due to the lack of medical filters, clean water, and electricity, leading to numerous preventable deaths.

Health officials and human rights organizations have repeatedly warned that the siege and bombardment of Gaza represent not just a military campaign, but a war against life itself, with women, children, and the sick paying the heaviest price. The targeting of medical infrastructure and the blockade of humanitarian supplies constitute clear violations of international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions.

Al-Daqran called on the international community to act immediately to lift the siege, ensure the safe delivery of medical aid, and hold Israel accountable for war crimes against civilians and healthcare workers.

“We are witnessing a genocide in slow motion,” he said. “Every hour, every delay, costs innocent lives.” (ILKHA)