are paying the heaviest of prices, just one of the statistics on the websites that you mention, 50,000 women in gaza are now pregnant, more than 5000 i giving birth in these desperate, dangerous conditions where there is no clean water, the hospital is a warning that they only have enough fuel to run the generators for a few more days, war does not discriminate between religions, between ages, genders, this is a war where so many, so many are suffering. as our chief international correspondent was expanding there, according to un women out of a population of about 2 million in gaza, over 700,000 have been displaced from their homes, meanwhile, 50,000 are pregnant with over 5000 expected to give birth in the next month, and over 7000 women and girls killed since the conflict began, the un has warned that women and children are dying at a faster rate than any other group, and for those women and theirfamilies any other group, and for those women and their families who do manage to flee, this is what they are facing amid the rubble, cramped conditions in camps and cities across gaza where according to international planned parenthood, access to contraception and sensory products has become dire, and they report women sharing contraceptive pills experiencing infection due to unhygienic conditions and those overcrowded camps with a lack of access to clean and safe toilets, and from others, a scarcity of clean drinking water has hampered their ability to breastfeed and hospitals have reportedly run out of formula and earlier i spoke about all of these challenges with the regional director for arab states for the un agency for sexual and reproductive health. �*s thank you so much forjoining us here on bbc news. looking at this conflict with your experience, what are your experiences for women caught up in this conflict?— women caught up in this conflict? ., ., , conflict? there are so many concerns. — conflict? there are so many concerns, it's _ conflict? there are so many concerns, it's difficult - conflict? there are so many concerns, it's difficult to - concerns, it's difficult to quantify them in a single sentence or two. with million people having been besieged amongst them, more than half are women and girls, it's 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, a shelter made for 400 people, we now have upwards of 50,000 people in some of those shelters. with the majority of them are women and children, all of whom have to share a single bathroom for thousands of people, you can only imagine what that is being like in terms of the hygiene, and it's 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, who 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 can do both psychologically and physically over time, psychologically and physically overtime, in 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 the circumstances. we are very concerned for the plight of them. , concerned for the plight of them, , ., concerned for the plight of them. , ., , , concerned for the plight of them. , ., ,, , them. sorry to interrupts, 'ust talk to them. sorry to interrupts, 'ust talkto usfi them. sorry to interrupts, 'ust talkto us afi them. sorry to interrupts, 'ust talk to us a little bit * them. sorry to interrupts, 'ust talk to us a little bit abouth talk to us a little bit about the kinds of conditions that women are giving birth in. when the can women are giving birth in. when they can give — women are giving birth in. when they can give birth, _ women are giving birth in. when they can give birth, and - women are giving birth in. when they can give birth, and babies l they can give birth, and babies wait for no—one, many women would try to present to facilities and hospitals, we know that over 135 health facilities abroad have been targeted, the health system is in near collapse, so for those women who try to flee the bombing, the perpetual bombing, where they have 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, ora find that there is not a doctor presenting, or a surgeon that can help them in a complicated labour, and in some cases, women are having to give birth without anaesthesia, and i would want to put myself in the place of any person or 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 for his child, the child to come onto this earth, now he has to worry about the fate of his family. we feel also that even if they could, yes, these women have to find their way back to shelter without any transportation, no post—natal care, it's a terrible situation. fit, terrible situation. a devastating situation, we know that women are among the hostages, there is footage of women who are under arrest, assaulted by hamas on the seventh of october. how concerned are you about sexual violence, about the conditions that women are being held in while they are being held in captivity? i while they are being held in captivity?— while they are being held in cativi ? ., , captivity? i can only comment on what we're _ captivity? i can only comment on what we're trying - captivity? i can only comment on what we're trying to - captivity? i can only comment on what we're trying to in - on what we're trying to in terms of marketing humanitarian aid. right now 2.2 million people who are held besieged in gaza, without the requisite basics of life, water, fuel, electricity, food, our concern as the un to 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.- all human life is of great concern to the un. the regional director for _ concern to the un. the regional director for arab _ concern to the un. the regional director for arab states - concern to the un. the regional director for arab states at - concern to the un. the regional director for arab states at the l director for arab states at the un population fund, thank you for being with us.— for being with us. thank you. workin: for being with us. thank you. working with _ for being with us. thank you. working with freelance - working with freelance journalist in gaza, filming for the bbc, our correspondent reports on the impact of the war on women and some of its youngest victims. what must it take for a mother to comfort her child when reality is so devastating. this two—year—old was stuck under the rubble of a bombing in gaza three weeks ago. this woman and her husband have tried for 14 years to have a baby, and then, she was born. translation: what is herfault? what did she do wrong? you have to constantly give her painkillers, as soon as the effect of one wears off, i give her another. effect of one wears off, i give heranother. how life effect of one wears off, i give her another. how life revolves around painkillers, and every other day, she undergoes surgery. other day, she undergoes surgery-— other day, she undergoes surte . ., surgery. trapped in gaza, under the constant _ surgery. trapped in gaza, under the constant threat _ surgery. trapped in gaza, under the constant threat of _ surgery. trapped in gaza, under the constant threat of being - the constant threat of being bombed. hospitals filled up with more wounded children. amira, 13, seven of her brothers were killed and her mother as well. her father says they had 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. . a short while ago i wasjoined by a again. . a short while ago i was joined by a staff writer at the time magazine. your story, told the story of a number of women, one story really struck me, two weeks away from giving birth this woman had to evacuate, i think you wrote for the fourth time. tell us a bit about what she has been facing. thank you for having me.- thank you for having me. she's the mother— thank you for having me. she's the mother of _ thank you for having me. she's the mother of a _ thank you for having me. she'sl the mother of a three-year-old, the mother of a three—year—old, three weeks away from giving birth when she was evacuated to fourth time, see moved from gaza city to the south of the border, and while there she was taking shelter when you make with three other families, about 20 people, and in the midst of taking shelter, she began to experience contractions and she went to the nearest hospital to try and give birth, she was not even sure if it was labour, but she was turned away and eventually she ended up at the maternity hospital where she finally gave birth, but her story was really heartbreaking because the way that she sort of describe the experience, it sounded harrowing notjust because of all the stress she was under, but her environment and her surroundings, it was very clear there are a lot of women just like her who are really struggling to give birth, and it's a story that i heard countless times while reporting on this. we countless times while reporting on this. ~ ., . ., on this. we will touch on some of those other _ on this. we will touch on some of those other stories - on this. we will touch on some of those other stories but - on this. we will touch on some of those other stories but from what i understand, reading your article, those conditions, i mean she was at one stage on the brink of giving birth, she took refuge in a house, i think she was with around 20 other people, a house without water, electricity, just tell us about those conditions.— electricity, just tell us about those conditions. she described a as those conditions. she described a gas being _ those conditions. she described a gas being in — those conditions. she described a gas being in a _ those conditions. she described a gas being in a house - those conditions. she described a gas being in a house as - those conditions. she described a gas being in a house as you i a gas being in a house as you said, they did not really have any water or electricity, i think at one point the family was really relying on the municipality that comes maybe 20 minutes a day, and she was in a house full of children at the time, so there were a lot of factors to take into consideration as to how looked at —— how to look after herself, and she also said when she first began to experience contractions, because she had already experienced someone stress evacuating from one house to another, she was not even sure if he was about to give birth and even getting to a hospital became a struggle because you know, it's not really advise that you go out on the street after a certain time of day, the extracts have been continuous, so it has been a really difficult challenge to even seek medical help many of the situation.— the situation. tells more about what their— the situation. tells more about what their face _ the situation. tells more about what their face when _ the situation. tells more about what their face when they - the situation. tells more about what their face when they do . what their face when they do get to the hospital, we have been reading reports about c—sections rip performed without anaesthetic, and any of those babies, potentially born early, because of what is going on, if they need special treatment, incubators, ventilators, all of those things cannot be guaranteed, can they?— can they? not at all, and i mentioned _ can they? not at all, and i mentioned in _ can they? not at all, and i mentioned in the - can they? not at all, and i mentioned in the article i can they? not at all, and i i mentioned in the article that the neonatal rate is already quite high in a place like gaza but now, under this crisis, there is about 130 babies who are relying on regulators, and most of these incubators need electricity, and those 130 babies that are now at risk, severe risk is un aid agencies have said but even for the women themselves, as you said, there have been multiple reports from medical personnel about women having to perform birds without anaesthesia, through the c—section surgery, and a lot of times, it really depends on how close you are to a hospital, but even if you are close, they are now even so overcrowded with patients, not just trying to give birth by people wounded by our strikes that many times, those women are not actually given priority because there is a life to be saved, to me it sounds petrifying at an already very intense moment in someone's life when they're preparing to become apparent, and at the same time you have this idea of a new baby. you know, usually a moment ofjoy. so those women you spoke to, how do they feel about bringing new life into a conflict?- new life into a conflict? yeah, i think overwhelmed - new life into a conflict? yeah, i think overwhelmed is - new life into a conflict? yeah, i think overwhelmed is one i new life into a conflict? yeah, l i think overwhelmed is one way to describe it, but one of the doctors i spoke to, who is currently in a refugee camp, who treats women every day who are pregnant basically said every single woman was just full of fear and full of anxiety about where she would give birth, if she could keep a baby safe, and how that would actually take place. so i think for a lot of these women, there 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 baby safe.- they have no idea if they can keep their baby safe. we've got 'ust about keep their baby safe. we've got just about 30 — keep their baby safe. we've got just about 30 seconds - keep their baby safe. we've got just about 30 seconds left, - keep their baby safe. we've got just about 30 seconds left, but | just about 30 seconds left, but with regards to that humanitarian situation, a lack of access to clean drinking water, we are talking about the potential here to impact even the ability to feed a baby right through breast—feeding for example? right through breast-feeding for example?— right through breast-feeding forexamle? , ., for example? exactly. so water has become — for example? exactly. so water has become the _ for example? exactly. so water has become the crucial - for example? exactly. so water has become the crucial need i for example? exactly. so water| has become the crucial 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, but also women who are pregnant need that to as you said, breast—feed their babies. they also needed for hygienic purposes so they don't contract any infections, so they can keep their baby clean. and at the moment, in a place like khan younis, 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 supply. so they are really facing a huge crisis. so many toics facing a huge crisis. so many tepics and — facing a huge crisis. so many topics and issues _ facing a huge crisis. so many topics and issues to - facing a huge crisis. so many topics and issues to talk - topics and issues to talk about. we do unfortunately have to leave it there but for now, thank you so much for your really important reporting. thank you so much for having me. ~ ., ,., thank you so much for having me. ~ ., , ., thank you so much for having me. ~ ., ,., ., me. meanwhile both israeli and palestinian _ me. meanwhile both israeli and palestinian women _ me. meanwhile both israeli and palestinian women peace - palestinian women peace activists have long been calling for a political solution to the conflict and just three days before hamas carried out its attack on seventh october, hundreds of israeli palestinian women rallied together in the west bank calling for political leaders to resolve the conflict. the women you can see here, they are part of movement sparked by organisations like the israeli —based women wage peace and the palestinian found in women of the sun, and the women in black, founded both by israeli and palestinian women. now the group say they aim to amplify swimming's voices and conflict that have long impacted their everyday lives. you will remember this grandmother held by hamas for 17 days before being released. she is also a peace activist, and another women peace campaigner vivian silver is still being held. here she is last year speaking at a women wage peace event and our international editor met with her son, who filed this report a week after she was taken. jonathan's mother disappeared from eric abetz on the gaza border. his family believe that if peace diplomacy worked, the americans last try ten years ago, israelis and palestinians might have been spared this agony. jonathan is here to give agony. jonathan 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's happening right now?— right now? that this is the outcome- _ right now? that this is the outcome. this _ right now? that this is the outcome. this is - right now? that this is the outcome. this is the - right now? that this is the . outcome. this is the outcome right now? that this is the - outcome. this is the outcome of war, of not striving for peace. we have been, you know, israelis have that saying, and this is what happens. it is very overwhelming, but it is not completely surprising. we couldn't. .. it's we couldn't... it's not... sustainable. to live in a state of war for so long. you sustainable. to live in a state of warfor so long. you know, it bursts, it burst. of war for so long. you know, it bursts, it burst.— it bursts, it burst. vivian was makin: it bursts, it burst. vivian was making light _ it bursts, it burst. vivian was making light of _ it bursts, it burst. vivian was making light of it _ it bursts, it burst. vivian was making light of it at - it bursts, it burst. vivian was making light of it at first - making light of it at first last saturday, until she couldn't. last saturday, until she couldn't-— last saturday, until she couldn't. ~ , ,, couldn't. we may be witnessing a massacre- _ couldn't. we may be witnessing a massacre. i'm _ couldn't. we may be witnessin