Gaza neonatal deaths surge 50% as war-linked birth defects spike in Khan Younis

According to Al Jazeera, doctors in Khan Younis's neonatal unit report a significant increase in severe congenital anomalies among newborns, with health officials attributing the rise to wartime conditions including malnutrition, contaminated water, collapsed healthcare infrastructure, and ongoing bombardment stress. The source documents that neonatal mortality increased 50% in the past year compared to pre-war baseline figures. This development reflects the indirect health toll of prolonged conflict on civilian populations, particularly the most vulnerable newborns. The story underscores how military conflict compounds existing healthcare fragility in fragile settings.