Gaza’s Health Ministry reported 260 congenital anomaly cases among newborns in the first nine months of 2026, prompting Director-General Munir al-Bursh to call for an independent international scientific investigation into possible causes.
The nine-month count exceeded the 184 cases recorded during all of 2022. The ministry reported 322 cases in 2025, a 75% increase over the 2022 total.
The ministry said the figures do not establish how prevalent congenital anomalies are among newborns or what caused them. It called for an investigation into possible contributing factors, including maternal malnutrition, pollutant exposure and disruptions to prenatal care during the war.
Al-Bursh voiced concern over the figures amid starvation, displacement and the collapse of health services, according to the report. The ministry listed cleft lip and palate, atypical external genitalia, shortened upper limbs and umbilical hernias among the conditions requiring monitoring and specialized care.
Some newborns may have more than one anomaly, the ministry said. It urged support for expectant mothers, access to nutrition and screening, and surgical care for newborns.
