UNFPA: Bringing life under fire: Gaza’s midwives deliver a glimmer of hope

07 September 2025

In the heart of Gaza, where conflict has shattered lives and infrastructure, a quiet revolution of resilience is unfolding, led by the unwavering dedication of midwives. These vital frontline workers are not merely assisting births; they are delivering hope, defiance, and a future for a generation born into unimaginable circumstances.

For nearly two years, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has deepened, impacting every aspect of life. Over half a million people are now facing famine, with an additional 160,000 projected to be added to this grim statistic in the coming weeks. The healthcare system, a fundamental lifeline, has been systematically dismantled. A staggering 94 percent of Gaza’s hospitals are damaged or destroyed, with half rendered completely non-operational. In Gaza City, not a single public hospital remains fully functional. Against this backdrop, an estimated 55,000 pregnant women navigate pregnancy and childbirth under conditions that are both physically perilous and psychologically scarring, with over 60 percent battling malnutrition.

The frontline of Gaza’s health crisis

It is within this devastating reality that Gaza’s midwives stand firm. Delivering life under bombardment or while displaced has become an act of profound defiance. They remain at their posts, steadfast and determined, even as they grieve their own families, and struggle for their own survival.

Ayda, a midwife from North Gaza, shared her harrowing experiences just days before she was killed in an airstrike, along with 37 members of her family: “The birthing room was too risky— under direct fire—so women gave birth in hospital hallways. We used our cell phones as lighting. Despite the lack of supplies and water, our hands continued to work. Life must continue even when bombs are going off.” Ayda’s words, and her ultimate sacrifice, underscore the immense courage of these women.

Every birth attended by Gaza’s midwives is a testament to their incredible strength. Whether in hospital corridors, shelters, or under direct fire, they carry on, often with nothing but their bare hands and the light of a mobile phone. Dina, a midwife at the International Medical Corps field hospital, spoke of her hands shaking as she delivered a newborn whose father had been killed two days prior. “In that moment, I was face to face with both the strength of life and the anguish of loss,” she shared.  Another midwife, at a Gaza government hospital, recalled the harrowing experience of delivering a baby after its mother–badly injured in an airstrike–had died.

Gaza’s midwives are not only saving mothers and newborns, they are also fighting for their own survival–and the future of their profession. One midwifery student highlighted the immense challenges: “Sometimes, I risk my life sitting outside for hours just to find a signal strong enough to download my lectures. But what other option do we have?”

The impacts of partnerships

With a vital US$6.17 million contribution from KOICA, the Korea International Cooperation Agency, UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, the Ministry of Health, and local partners are actively working to restore critical maternal health and protection services across the Gaza Strip. This life-saving project is deploying mobile clinics, staffed by midwives, who are supported with training and supplies, to deliver maternal and newborn healthcare to displaced women in shelters. Safe spaces are also being established for survivors of gender-based violence, providing crucial psychosocial support. This initiative will benefit nearly 95,000 people, with a specific focus on pregnant and postpartum women, healthcare workers, and survivors of gender-based violence.

Call to action

The dedication of Gaza’s midwives is unwavering, but their capacity is stretched beyond limits. KOICA’s support is a critical first step but continued international support is urgently needed to provide essential resources, sustain critical services, and ensure every woman in Gaza can give birth safely.

Rather than representing the hope of new life, newborns in Gaza have come to epitomise the struggle to survive. As Ayda articulated, before she was killed, the cry of a newborn in Gaza, is a cry of defiance, a testament to the resilience of a nation and its generations.