Born into crisis: giving birth at the Red Cross Field Hospital in Gaza
As the conflict in Gaza intensifies and humanitarian aid shortages cause widespread malnutrition, Ghada, 39, welcomes her new-born daughter, Asia, to the sound of alarms.
Having a baby is an amazing but stressful and scary experience. For any new parent the safety and health of their baby is paramount. In Gaza, where the nearly two-year conflict has ravaged the healthcare system, new parents feel the same, but they are having to deal with extra dangers and threats – with not even the safe delivery of a child untouched by the ongoing hostilities.
At the Red Cross Field Hospital in Gaza, one mother, Ghada, recently gave birth as alarms, blared through the hospital, warning that stray bullets were nearby. The alarm tells you to move to a safe area, but a mother in active labour can’t, nor can the midwives who are caring for them. “When the alarm goes off, sometimes it isn’t possible for the midwife to move.
We have a mother who is giving birth in front of us, so we stay with the patient – maybe we can move her from the bed to the floor to make it as safe as we can, but there are many challenges,” maternity team leader Yasmeen explained.
Giving birth under the threat of conflict
Ghada, 39, was guided through her delivery by midwife Falasteen, who stayed by her side as daughter Asia, her sixth child, was safely born.
“I was worried about coming to a field hospital, but the staff have been really wonderful,” she said.
“I was worried because my last birth was in better circumstances, in early 2024, when there were more hospitals. I became pregnant this time because I no longer had access to birth control.”
Ghada wasn’t alone in her experience either: it’s become an increasingly common at the Field Hospital and highlights the security risks patients and medical staff face.
The Red Cross Field Hospital in Rafah is now the last fully operational hospital in the area. With 60 –beds, it has been running beyond maximum capacity almost daily. Since the end of May, there has also been an increase in mass casualty incidents which has put a further strain on the already decimated health system.
Malnutrition causing generational damage to children
The challenges of raising a new-born in Gaza don’t end with a successful birth. Aid shortages mean parents cannot get basic supplies like food and water that they need for their children and the ongoing fighting causes even more dangers with families displaced and the destruction of vital infrastructure.
“The living circumstances are really difficult, and I am scared to go back to the tent with the heat and the flies. I’m concerned about Asia,” Ghada, who has five other children under 11, admitted.
The trickle of humanitarian aid entering the country is not enough to meet the needs of civilians, who are hungry and running out of options. 475,000 people face starvation and it’s the most vulnerable like children, pregnant women and the elderly who are suffering the most.
Nebal Farsakh, Palestine Red Crescent Society spokesperson, has said: " More people are being admitted to hospitals with malnutrition especially among children, pregnant women and the elderly.
“The situation is only getting worse. People not only struggle to have access to food but also to clean water and medicine." The effects of the malnutrition aren’t just an immediate danger; they will cause lasting damage to the children of Gaza.
“With chronic malnutrition comes longer-term health impacts which can be irreversible in children. This includes impacts on brain development, stunted growth, and organ functioning. We need a sustained flood of support - not just to save lives today, but to safeguard the future of entire communities,”
Naziha El Moussaoui, Food Security, Nutrition and Livelihoods advisor, British Red Cross said. “This is not just a crisis for today - it’s a crisis for generations to come. Malnutrition weakens the immune system, leaving people - especially the most vulnerable - unable to fight off disease and infection. The long-term effects will echo far into the future. Without immediate and sustained humanitarian assistance, we risk impacting not only this generation but the next.”
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