❗️Congenital anomalies spike in Gaza, up 75% since genocide The number of birth defects recorded among newborns in the Gaza Strip during the first nine months of this year has surpassed the total number of cases documented throughout 2022 prior to the start of the genocide, local medical sources told WAFA. Health officials reported 260 cases of congenital anomalies between January and September, exceeding the 184 cases recorded in all of 2022. Medical records further showed that 322 cases were documented across 2025—marking a 75 percent increase compared to pre-genocide figures. Documented conditions include cleft lip and palate, ambiguous external genitalia, shortened upper limbs, and umbilical hernias, with several infants presenting multiple severe malformations. Medical sources highlighted maternal starvation, prolonged exposure to toxic environmental pollutants from Israeli bombardment, and the systematic collapse of prenatal healthcare under the blockade as major contributing factors. Calling for an urgent, independent international scientific investigation into the spike, Palestinian health authorities echoed warnings issued by Human Rights Watch detailing catastrophic, life-threatening risks faced by pregnant women and newborns due to the deliberate destruction of health infrastructure and severe shortages of essential food, clean water, and medical supplies.