In Gaza, the war is leaving its mark not only on the living, but on the unborn. As Israeli bombardments continue, doctors are witnessing a silent tragedy unfold in maternity wards: a sharp rise in fetal deformities caused by toxic emissions, malnutrition, and environmental contamination.

Dr Ibrahim Al-Bassayneh, an obstetrics consultant in Gaza City, has sounded the alarm over the growing number of babies born with severe abnormalities, missing limbs, undeveloped skulls, blocked intestines, many weighing less than 1.5 kilograms. He attributes this surge to chemical exposure from Israeli munitions, combined with dire nutritional conditions for pregnant women.

Most deformities occur during the first trimester, when vital organs form. But in Gaza, expectant mothers face malnourishment, vitamin deficiencies, and displacement in overcrowded camps near bombed-out buildings, where they are exposed to heavy metal contamination and toxic dust.

With Gaza’s healthcare system on the brink of collapse, prenatal care is delayed or unavailable. The result is a deepening crisis that threatens an entire generation before it is even born. What’s happening in Gaza’s wombs is not a natural tragedy, it’s a man-made one.