Gaza records 260 congenital anomaly cases in 9 months, exceeding 2022 total: Health Ministry

Gaza’s Health Ministry said Friday that 260 cases of congenital anomalies were recorded among newborns during the first nine months of 2026, surpassing the 184 cases documented throughout 2022, Anadolu reports.

Health Ministry Director-General Munir al-Bursh described the figures as a serious health warning and called for an independent international scientific investigation into the reasons behind the increase.

The ministry said 322 cases were recorded in 2025, a 75% increase compared with 2022.

Bursh expressed concern over the rise amid Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, starvation, displacement and the collapse of healthcare services.

The anomalies requiring surveillance and specialized care include cleft lip and palate, atypical external genitalia that can make determining a newborn’s gender difficult, shortened upper limbs and umbilical hernias, the ministry said.

Some newborns may have multiple anomalies, increasing the need for diagnostic testing, surgery and long-term medical care, it added.

The ministry stressed that the figures alone do not establish the prevalence of congenital anomalies among newborns or prove what caused them.

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It nevertheless called for an independent international scientific investigation into possible contributing factors, including maternal malnutrition, exposure to pollutants and disruption of prenatal care during the war.

“Behind every number is a child who needs treatment and a mother seeking reassurance,” the ministry said, stressing the need to protect pregnant women and ensure access to nutrition, screening and specialized surgery for newborns.

Israel launched its genocidal war on the Gaza Strip on Oct. 8, 2023, killing more than 74,000 Palestinians and wounding over 175,000 others, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The offensive also destroyed around 90% of the enclave’s civilian infrastructure.

A ceasefire agreement took effect on Oct. 10, 2025, but Israeli attacks have continued. As of Thursday, Israeli violations of the agreement had killed 1,602 Palestinians and wounded 5,799 others, according to the ministry.

Despite the ceasefire, Israel has continued to restrict the entry of agreed quantities of food, medicines, medical supplies and shelter materials into Gaza, where the health system remains severely damaged. Thousands of sick and wounded Palestinians remain unable to leave the enclave for treatment.

Under the ceasefire agreement, 600 humanitarian aid trucks were supposed to enter Gaza each day carrying food, medical supplies, fuel and other essential goods, but Palestinian authorities have repeatedly said deliveries have fallen well below agreed levels.

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