Gaza City – A lack of fuel and large numbers of wounded Palestinians arriving at al-Shifa hospital has resulted in its maternity ward being transferred to the private al-Helou International Hospital.

“The hospital is fully equipped regarding all services, including neonatal, internal medicine, and surgery,” said Mohammed al-Helou, a doctor of obstetrics and gynaecology.

He explained that what pregnant women experience in this war is “deeply horrifying”.

“People are even afraid of going to the hospital to receive services due to the bombing everywhere and the fact that there are no safe spaces in the Gaza Strip,” he said.

According to the United Nations Population Fund in Palestine, there are 50,000 pregnant women in the Gaza Strip who are unable to obtain basic health services.

At least 5,500 of them will give birth during the month of October, according to the UN.

“A large number of women suffered premature births and many miscarriages due to fear and panic as a result of the continuing Israeli bombing of Gaza,” said Abdelhakim Shehateh, a medical director at al-Shifa hospital and an obstetrics consultant.