Pregnant women in the besieged Gaza strip are facing dire situations as they attempt to flee towards the south of the region, ActionAid reports. The international charity, which focuses on the welfare of women and girls, expressed grave concern for the approximately 50,000 pregnant women and newborn babies who are currently without essential medical care. Riham Jafari, ActionAid’s coordinator of advocacy and communication for Palestine, emphasised the need to protect these women as they are forced to make the difficult choice between fleeing with no guarantee of safety or remaining at risk of almost certain death.

Meanwhile, confrontations in the occupied West Bank continue to escalate. Two Palestinians were wounded by Israeli military live ammunition in the town of Kifeen, north of Tulkarem. According to Ahman Zahran, a paramedic with the Red Crescent, this incident is part of a larger trend. Since October 7, at least 54 Palestinians have been killed and over 1,000 wounded, as reported by the ministry of health.

Hezbollah has now claimed responsibility for an attack on Israeli positions. The Lebanese group’s military media stated that it targeted five Israeli positions in the Sheba’a Farms using guided missiles and mortar shells. This development further intensifies the ongoing conflict.

Meanwhile The World Health Organisation (WHO) has stressed the urgent need for aid delivery to Gaza. Hospitals are overwhelmed, and people are unable to access necessary treatment. Children with burns are suffering without pain relief. WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris emphasised the critical nature of the situation. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the chief of the UN health agency, recently met with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi to discuss the opening of a humanitarian corridor to Gaza. Egypt has agreed to the proposal, but Israel has yet to consent to the delivery of aid.