Gaza neonatal intensive care units are facing an unprecedented crisis as a severe shortage of incubators forces medical staff to place multiple premature babies into single devices, according to local medical personnel and international aid organizations reporting in September 2026. Hospitals lack basic medical supplies and electricity following intense conflict, while the proportion of underweight and premature births remains critically high.
Hospital Nasser Overcrowding and Incubator Shortages
At the Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, healthcare workers routinely place two or three fragile newborns into a single incubator designed for only one child. Hatem Dhahir, head of the neonatology department, states that the situation is catastrophic and continuously deteriorating due to a complete lack of available incubators and high demand for oxygen. According to documentation from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), approximately 70% of newborns in the territory arrived either prematurely or with insufficient weight during peak periods of the conflict.
Placing multiple infants in a single apparatus creates severe medical risks. Doctors note that sharing incubators degrades the quality of sterile care and significantly raises the probability of spreading infections among vulnerable patients. While the facility attempts to transfer infants to other medical locations, Hatem Dhahir notes that surrounding establishments remain entirely full.
Did you know? Prior to October 2023, Gaza operated eight neonatal intensive care units with a total of 178 incubators, but subsequent destruction and blockades reduced available units across the territory by roughly 70%, according to assessments.
UNICEF Intervention and Medical Resilience
International aid agencies continue emergency deliveries to sustain remaining hospital infrastructure. Toby Fricker, communications officer for the Palestinian territories at UNICEF, reports that the organization has supplied nearly 100 incubators to six hospitals since October 2023. Despite this assistance, Fricker acknowledges that operations currently survive almost entirely due to the raw resilience of local doctors and patients.
The blockade and ongoing military operations have severely restricted the entry of specialized medical equipment and spare parts. Civilians face compounding hardships as municipal infrastructure, including water treatment and electrical grids, remains largely disabled, which elevates overall disease risks for recovering infants and mothers.
Complex Cardiac Cases and Unmet Treatment Needs
Local hospitals can no longer manage complex pediatric conditions, resulting in severe clinical complications. Mona Ahmad, a legal guardian, accompanied a baby girl born in late August with a severe congenital heart malformation where her aorta and pulmonary artery were reversed, preventing proper blood oxygenation. According to Ahmad, the Nasser Hospital kept the infant for one week before discharging her due to a severe lack of space and surgical capabilities.
The discharge report explicitly mandated a transfer out of the facility because no corrective treatment existed locally, leaving caretakers without viable medical options. Despite these systemic barriers, medical teams occasionally achieve successful outcomes through resourcefulness, such as treating and discharging infants recovering from severe blood disorders, as reported by local parents like Thaer Harzallah.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are multiple babies placed in single incubators in Gaza?
According to medical staff at Nasser Hospital, a severe shortage of available incubators and an influx of premature births force teams to share equipment to keep multiple newborns warm and stable.
What percentage of newborns are premature in the territory?
Data from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs indicates that approximately 70% of newborns have arrived before term or with low birth weight.
How are international organizations assisting local hospitals?
UNICEF has delivered nearly 100 incubators to six regional hospitals since October 2023, though aid officials state that current supplies remain far below actual operational needs.
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