NEW YORK – The UN Security Council convened a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the situation in the Middle East, focusing specifically on the Palestinian issue. During the session, UN officials provided detailed briefings on the war’s devastating impact on women and children in occupied Palestine.

According to Jordan News Agency, Sima Bahous, the dire conditions in Palestine are acutely affecting women, especially those who are pregnant. Bahous reported that 180 women are delivering babies daily without essential medical supplies, including water, painkillers, and anesthesia for C-sections, as well as electricity for incubators. She emphasized the hardships faced by these women, who continue to care for their families under extreme conditions, often resorting to using contaminated water for baby formula and sacrificing their own food for their children. Bahous expressed deep concern over the desperation of these women, some of whom wish for a quick death rather than enduring ongoing conflict.

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell also provided a briefing, highlighting the alarming number of child casualties in Gaza. Over 5,300 Palestinian children have reportedly been killed in a span of just 46 days, averaging over 115 deaths per day. Russell noted that more than 1,200 children are either trapped under rubble or missing. She described Gaza as “the most dangerous place in the world to be a child” and called for an immediate end to the conflict.

Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), reported on the plight of pregnant women in Gaza, with approximately 5,500 expected to give birth in the coming month under appalling conditions. Kanem emphasized the uncertainty surrounding the future of these newborns and the urgent need for better conditions.