this assessment at bbc radio fours. �* .,, ., ,., fours. and was about time, which are — fours. and was about time, which are fought _ fours. and was about time, which are fought street - fours. and was about time, which are fought street to i which are fought street to street and house—to—house, it is the women and children who are paying the heaviest of prices. just take wannabe statistics which is on that un women website that you mentioned. 50,000 women in gaza are now pregnant. more than 5000 are giving birth in these, these are desperate and dangerous conditions where there is no clean water, the hospitals are warning that they only have enough fuel to run generators for a few more days. war does not discriminate between religions, between ages, between genders. this is ages, between genders. this is a war where so many, so many a war where so many, so many are a war where so many, so many are suffering. a war where so many, so many are suffering-— are suffering. our chief international— are suffering. our chief - international correspondent there. let's take a deeper look at the toll of women in gaza in numbers. according to un women out of a population over 2 million in gaza, over 700,000 have been displaced from their homes and meanwhile 50,000 are pregnant with over 5000 expected to give birth the next month and with over 7000 women in gaza killed since the conflict began, the un has warned that women and children are dying at a faster rate than any other groups. and for those women and theirfamilies any other groups. and for those women and their families who do manage to flee, this is what they are facing. amid rubble, cramped conditions in cities and camps across gaza where according to international planned parenthood access to contraception and sanitary products has become dire. they report women sharing contraceptive pills and experiencing infection due to unhygienic conditions in overcrowded camps with a lack of access to clean safe toilet. for mothers, a scarcity of clean drinking water has had the —— tempered their ability to breastfeed babies and hospitals have reportedly run out of formula. i spoke to the regional director for abbott stakes for the un agency for sexual and reproductive health. thank you so much forjoining us here on bbc news. looking at this conflict with your experience, what are your main concerns for women caught up in this conflict?— this conflict? there are so many concerns, _ this conflict? there are so many concerns, it - this conflict? there are so many concerns, it is - this conflict? there are so many concerns, it is veryl many concerns, it is very difficult to quantify them in a single sentence or two. i feel at the moment with 2.2 million people having been besieged, amongst them more than half a women and girls. it is very difficult for me to describe the impact that that is having, particularly on pregnant women, elderly women with mobility issues, adolescent girls. picture, if you will for a moment, living in an area, and shelter made for 400 people. we now have upwards of 50,000 people in some of those shelters, with the majority of them being women and children, all of whom have to share a single bathroom for thousands of people. you can only imagine what that is like in terms of the hygiene. unfpa it is critical for us that we provide not only for the women who are pregnant and trying to deliver, which is the main concern for us, but the preservation of human dignity and the loss of that dignified life in a place that dignified life in a place that has 50,000 people with four bathroom facilities. we are very concerned for the plight of adolescent girls who can't go to school, aren't able to manage their personal hygiene while they are menstruating and in some cases we have heard anecdotally, because we have no direct access unfortunately until now, we have heard of girls taking pills, hormonal pills, to stop their periods. we know the damage that that can do on them both psychologically and physically over time. in the circumstances that we face right now, these are dire, dire choices for any parent. i would not wish it on anyone. so we are trying our best to help in those circumstances. we are very concerned for the flight of them. , ., , of them. sorry to interrupter, 'ust talk of them. sorry to interrupter, just talk to — of them. sorry to interrupter, just talk to us _ of them. sorry to interrupter, just talk to us about - of them. sorry to interrupter, just talk to us about the - of them. sorry to interrupter, j just talk to us about the kinds of conditions that women are giving birth in.— of conditions that women are giving birth in. when they can tive giving birth in. when they can give birth. — giving birth in. when they can give birth, and _ giving birth in. when they can give birth, and babies - giving birth in. when they can give birth, and babies wait. giving birth in. when they can j give birth, and babies wait for no—one, many women try to present to the standing facilities in hospitals. we know that over 135 health facilities have already been targeted. the health system is in near collapse. for those women who try to flee the bombing, the perpetual bombing, where they have had little access to water, food, hygiene for a month, when they arrive at the health facilities that are already overwhelmed they may find that there is not a doctor presenting, a surgeon who can help them in a complicated labour. in some cases, women are having to give birth without anaesthesia and i would not want to put myself in the place of any person, a woman who has to be faced with a choice or a doctor who has to deliver that baby, or the poor father who has to look at his wife and rather than feeling the joy are waiting for his child, the child to come into this earth with hopefullyjoy, now he has to worry about the fate of his family. even if they could give birth (cross talk) these women have to find their way back to shelter without any transportation. no post—natal care. a terrible situation. ihi, post-natal care. a terrible situation.— situation. a devastating situation _ situation. a devastating situation and _ situation. a devastating situation and women i situation. a devastating j situation and women on situation. a devastating - situation and women on both sides are feeling this impact. we know women are among the hostages taken by hamas. there is footage of women who are undressed, assaulted by hamas on seven october, how are you concerned also about sexual violence against women, about the conditions that women are being held in while they are being held in while they are being held in captivity? for unfpa i being held in captivity? for unfpa i can _ being held in captivity? for unfpa i can only _ being held in captivity? iff?" unfpa i can only comment on what we're trying to in terms of our humanitarian aid. right now the 2.2 million people who are held, besieged, in gaza without the requisite basics of life, water, fuel, electricity, food — our concern is the un that the unfpa be given unimpeded, unconditionalaccess unimpeded, unconditional access to be unimpeded, unconditionalaccess to be able to provide at least the basics for those. we also urge the international community to ensure that there is a ceasefire, so that they can be done in safety and security. preservation and sanctity of all human life is of great concern to the un. leighton baker regional director of arab states at the un population fund, thank you for being with us. thank you. working with freelance journalist in gaza filling for bbc correspondent reports on impact of the war on women and some of its youngest victim. what must it take a for mother to comfort her child when reality is so devastating two —year—old fatima was stuck under the rubble of the bombing in trapped in gaza, under the constant threat of being bombed. hospitals fill up with more wounded children. amira al—badawi, 13. seven of her brothers were killed and her mother too. her father says they'd fled to southern gaza for safety. that's where they were bombed. amira has spinal injuries. "i want peace and security. "i want to be treated and go back to normal life, "to my home", she says. "i want to feel safe." it's not clear if amira will be able to walk again. yogita limaye, bbc news, jerusalem. live now to a staff writer at time magazine, thank you so much for being with us. your story told the story of a number of women, one really struck me, a woman who was two weeks away from giving birth when she had to evacuate, i think you wrote for the fourth time. tell us a bit about what she has been facing.- she has been facing. yeah, thank you _ she has been facing. yeah, thank you for _ she has been facing. yeah, thank you for having - she has been facing. yeah, thank you for having me. i she has been facing. yeah, i thank you for having me. this woman is a mother of a 3—year—old and she was two weeks away from giving birth when she was evacuated for the fourth time. she moved from gaza city to the south of the border towards rafah, and while there she was taking shelter with three other families, that is about 20 people, and in the midst of taking shelter she began to experience contractions and she went to the hospital to give birth, she was not sure if it was labour but she was turned away and ended up at the maternity hospital in rafah where she gave birth. her story is heartbreaking because the way she described the experience was harrowing, notjust because of all the stress that she was under but her environment and surroundings, it was clear that is a lot of women just like isra who are struggling to give birth, and it is a story i have had thousands of times while reporting on this. we had thousands of times while reporting on this.— reporting on this. we will touch on _ reporting on this. we will touch on some _ reporting on this. we will touch on some of - reporting on this. we will touch on some of those l reporting on this. we will - touch on some of those stories in a moment but from what i understand reading your article, those conditions, she was on the brink of giving birth, was taken to a house, with around 20 other people, a house without water, electricity, to us about those conditions.— conditions. yeah, isra described _ conditions. yeah, isra described i _ conditions. yeah, isra described i guess - conditions. yeah, isral described i guess being conditions. yeah, isra - described i guess being in a house which, as you said, did not have any water or electricity. i think at one point the family was really relying on the municipality water that comes maybe 20 minutes a day, and she was in a house full of children at the time. i think there are a lot of factors to take into consideration as to how to look after herself while in those conditions. she also said that when she first began to experience contractions, because she had already experienced so much stress evacuating from one house to another, she was not even sure if she was able —— about to give birth. and getting to a hospital became a struggle because it is not really advise that you go out on the streets at a certain time and day, that airstrikes have been continuous. so it has been a real difficult challenge to even seek medical help in these situations. even seek medical help in these situations-_ situations. and tell us more about what _ situations. and tell us more about what they _ situations. and tell us more about what they face - situations. and tell us more about what they face when l situations. and tell us more - about what they face when they do get to the hospital, we have been reading reports about c—sections having to be performed without anaesthetic, the newborns as well, any of those babies potentially born early because of what is going on if they need special treatment, incubators, ventilators, all those things cannot be guaranteed either, cannot be guaranteed either, can they?— can they? no, not at all. i mention _ can they? no, not at all. i mention in _ can they? no, not at all. i mention in the _ can they? no, not at all. i mention in the article, - can they? no, not at all. i| mention in the article, the neonatal rate is already quite high in a place like gaza, there is about 130 babies who are relying on incubators and most incubators need electricity to be operating and those 130 babies are now at risk, severe risk of —— as un aid agencies have said. but even for the women themselves, there have been multiple reports from medical personnel about women having to perform births without anaesthesia, through the c—section surgery, and a lot of times, it really depends on how approximate you are to hospital. even if you are to hospital. even if you are close to a hospital they are close to a hospital they are now so overcrowded with patients, notjust women who are trying to give birth but people who are wounded by airstrikes, that many times those women are not actually given priority because there is a life to be saved. so... sorry. a life to be saved. so... sorry-— a life to be saved. so... sor. ., _,, ., , a life to be saved. so... sor. ., , ., sorry. no, my apologies. iwant to net a sorry. no, my apologies. iwant to get a sense _ sorry. no, my apologies. iwant to get a sense of _ sorry. no, my apologies. iwant to get a sense of how— sorry. no, my apologies. iwant to get a sense of how they - sorry. no, my apologies. iwant to get a sense of how they are l to get a sense of how they are feeling emotionally. to me it sounds... petra flying at an already intense moment in someone's life when they are preparing to become apparent. —— petra flying. at the same time you have this idea of a new baby, usually a moment of joy- -- new baby, usually a moment of joy. —— petrifying. these women you spoke to, how did they feel about bringing new life into a conflict? . about bringing new life into a conflict? , ., conflict? overwhelmed is one wa to conflict? overwhelmed is one way to describe _ conflict? overwhelmed is one way to describe it. _ conflict? overwhelmed is one way to describe it. one - conflict? overwhelmed is one way to describe it. one of - conflict? overwhelmed is one way to describe it. one of the doctors i spoke to, who is currently in khan younis in the refugee camp, who treats women every day who are pregnant, basically said every single woman wasjust full of basically said every single woman was just full of fear and full of anxiety about where she would give birth, if she could keep her baby safe, and how that would actually take place. and so i think for a lot of these women, fear is the number one feeling because they are, as you said, just trying to give birth and they have no idea if they can keep their babies are safe.— idea if they can keep their babies are safe. and we have 'ust babies are safe. and we have just about — babies are safe. and we have just about 30 _ babies are safe. and we have just about 30 seconds - babies are safe. and we have just about 30 seconds left . babies are safe. and we have | just about 30 seconds left but in regards to that humanitarian situation, a lack of access to clean drinking water, we are talking about the potential here to impact the ability to feed a baby through best reading —— breast—feeding for example. reading -- breast-feeding for example-— example. exactly. water has become the _ example. exactly. water has become the critical - example. exactly. water has become the critical need - example. exactly. water has become the critical need for| become the critical need for women at the moment in gaza and thatis women at the moment in gaza and that is something that every single person said to me, whether it was a mother or a doctor or a un aid agency. and the reason for that is not only of course to stay hydrated, it also women who are pregnant need that, as you said, to breastfeed their babies, they also needed for hygienic purposes and they don't contract any infections, so they can keep their baby clean. at the moment in a place like khan younis which is the largest refugee camp, you have access to one toilet. for thousands of people. the water is very scarce and very limited in supply, so they are really facing a huge crisis. 50 in supply, so they are really facing a huge crisis. so many toics facing a huge crisis. so many topics and — facing a huge crisis. so many topics and issues _ facing a huge crisis. so many topics and issues here - facing a huge crisis. so many topics and issues here to - facing a huge crisis. so many| topics and issues here to talk about, we do unfortunately have to leave it there. but for now, go to, staff writer at time magazine, thank you for your really important reporting. —— astha rajvanshi. meanwhile, israeli and palestinian women peace activists have been calling for activists have been calling for a political solution to the conflict and just three days before hamas carried out its attack on 7 october, hundreds of israeli and palestinian women rallied together in the west bank calling for political leaders to resolve the conflict. the women you can see here are part of a movement sparked by organisations like the israeli based women wage peace and the palestinian founded women of the sun and the women and black, founded by both israeli and palestinian groups. they safe to women —— apple pie women's voices, and you are likely remember that this israeli grandmother who was held by hamas for seven days before being released, she was a peace activist and another woman, who is also being held, this is her last year speaking at a women wage piece event, and our international editor met with her son and father's report. this man's mother disappeared from the kibbutz on the gaza border. his family believe if peace diplomacy work, the americans last tried ten years ago, israelis and palestinians might have been spared this agony. he is here to give a dna sample. but he is hoping his mother is alive, as a hostage. vivian silva, his mother, is one of israel's best—known campaigners for peace with the palestinians. she was holding meetings only a few days before the hamas attacks. what do you think your mother would be saying about everything that is happening right now? that this is the outcome. _ happening right now? that this is the outcome. this _ happening right now? that this is the outcome. this is - happening right now? that this is the outcome. this is the - is the outcome. this is the outcome of war. i was not striving for peace. we have been —— of not striving for peace. we have been, israelis have been living under assault and this is what happens. it is very overwhelming, but it is not completely surprising. it is not... sustainable. to live in a state of war for so long. it bursts, it burst. vivian was making light of it at first last saturday. until she couldn't.— she couldn't. "we may be witnessing _ she couldn't. "we may be witnessing a _ she couldn't. "we may be witnessing a massacre". i she couldn't. "we may be i witnessing a massacre". and that sense of humour, —— enough sense of humour, i am telling you i love you. i wrote back, "i love you mum". she writes, "they are in the house now". i say i have no words, i am with you. she writes, "i feel you", and that is it, that's the last message. and that is it, that's the last message-— and that is it, that's the last messate. , message. jeremy bowen reporting their back in — message. jeremy bowen reporting their back in october. _ message. jeremy bowen reporting their back in october. earlier - their back in october. earlier i spoke about the role of women in fighting for peace in the middle east with a professor at clark university. i want to start with the death toll we are seeing in gaza right now, 67% of those killed women and children, but if