Occupied Palestinian Territory

The ceasefire in Gaza offers much-needed relief and a glimmer of hope for Palestinian women and girls who have suffered through two years of horrific war. But there is a long road ahead.

Beyond emergency relief, it is vital to restore Gaza’s shattered healthcare system, reestablish services to prevent and respond to gender-based violence and provide support for healing from unimaginable trauma. 

After relentless attacks on healthcare since the war began in October 2023, only around a third of hospitals in Gaza are even partially functioning, depriving women and girls of critical care. Forced starvation, malnutrition and disease have led to catastrophic consequences for pregnant women and newborns. The 55,000 pregnant women currently in the territory will need quality care in the months ahead.

Despite immense challenges during the war, UNFPA and partners established temporary health facilities and safe spaces for women and girls, and were able to supply hospitals with life-saving medicines and distribute tens of thousands of kits containing supplies for personal hygiene, newborn care and other needs. 

UNFPA is now ready to scale up its humanitarian and recovery operations and needs full, safe and sustained humanitarian access to do so. UNFPA trucks are at the border, loaded with incubators, safe-birth supplies and hygiene items; dedicated staff and partners are on the ground, ready to distribute them.

In the West Bank, curfews as well as stepped-up movement restrictions have impacted people’s livelihoods and prevented them from reaching schools, workplaces and health facilities – including the 73,000 pregnant women who reside there. UNFPA-supported mobile clinics are providing medical and reproductive health services to displaced and remote populations, and UNFPA continues to support midwife services in primary healthcare centres.

Updated 14 October 2025