The miscarriage rate in Gaza rose more than threefold during the first half of 2026 as pregnant women endured malnutrition, repeated displacement, extreme heat, and the continued collapse of the Strip's healthcare system, according to figures released by the Gaza Health Ministry.

The Ministry recorded 3,958 miscarriages between January and June, amounting to 208.5 cases for every 1,000 live births. That compares with 64 miscarriages per 1,000 live births during the second half of 2025, representing a 3.3-fold surge.

April registered the highest monthly rate, at 377.25 miscarriages per 1,000 live births, while June recorded the largest number of cases, with 790.

The figures highlight the increasingly dangerous conditions facing pregnant Palestinian women nearly three years into "Israel’s" genocidal war on Gaza, where destruction of medical facilities, shortages of essential medicines, and restrictions on aid have severely limited access to maternal healthcare.

According to Health Ministry data, 73.6% of miscarriages recorded in the first half of 2026 occurred before the 13th week of pregnancy, while 26.4% took place between weeks 13 and 24.

Anemia has also become widespread among pregnant women, with 57.1% of those registered in 2025 diagnosed with the condition.

Pregnancy under displacement

For thousands of women living in displacement tents, pregnancy has become inseparable from exhausting daily labor and fears over the health of their unborn children.

Seven months pregnant, Hadeel al-Madani spends much of her day carrying water, washing clothes by hand, cooking over fires, and maintaining the family's tent without electricity or running water.

“Our life is difficult. We cannot adapt. Life is tragic and very hard for pregnant women in tents,” Madani told Anadolu.

“I fear my child may have deformities or problems because of the harsh conditions and the heat,” she said. “Sometimes the weather outside the tent is cooler than inside it.”

Source:Websites