Crisis in Gaza: Denied Access Worsens Hospital Overcrowding

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has severely impacted hospitals in Gaza, with claims of denied transfers of essential medical equipment adding to the crisis. According to a U.N. children's agency, Israel has repeatedly blocked the movement of incubators from an evacuated hospital in North Gaza.

Due to two years of conflict, stress and malnourishment among pregnant women have increased, resulting in a higher number of premature and underweight babies. This situation has caused overcrowding in the remaining functional hospitals in South Gaza. UNICEF describes the dire conditions where newborns share oxygen masks on crowded beds.

COGAT, responsible for overseeing aid into Gaza, refutes the U.N.'s assertions, citing approved requests for medical and humanitarian aid transfers. Nonetheless, the U.N. states that nearly half of its missions have been blocked or delayed. The World Health Organization and UNICEF urge for immediate action to transfer critically ill infants to better-equipped facilities.

(With inputs from agencies.)