The severe malnutrition suffered by mothers in Gaza has led to a great number of underweight or premature babies, an official of UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned on Tuesday.
At a press conference in Geneva, Switzerland, Tess Ingram, communication manager of UNICEF briefed the media on the dire situation, which would cause many newborns to die in intensive care units or struggle to survive in extreme hunger.
"At least 165 children are reported to have died painful, preventable deaths related to malnutrition during the war in the Gaza Strip, but far less reported has been the scale of malnutrition among pregnant and breastfeeding women, and the devastating domino effect that that has had on thousands of newborns. In Gaza's hospitals I have met several newborns who weighed less than one kilogram, their tiny chests heaving with the effort of staying alive. Low birth weight infants like these babies are about 20 times more likely to die than infants of normal weight," said Ingram.
The number of pregnant and breastfeeding women who are in acute malnutrition is rapidly rising, Ingram pointed out, noting that in October alone, a total of 8,300 pregnant and breastfeeding women were under relevant treatment.
Although the UN has been stepping up their efforts in changing damaged incubators and breathing machines, as well as providing nutritious supplementary to the pregnant, the aid is still hard to reach those in need.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said on Monday that insecure environment, delays and denials of cargo at the crossings still seriously hinder the transportation of urgently needed materials.
Maternal malnutrition in Gaza severely impacts newborns: UNICEF
Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te's move of ingratiation towards Japan is contemptible and meaningless, said Chen Binhua, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, at a regular press conference in Beijing on Wednesday.
At a plenary session of the House of Councillors on Dec. 3, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said that "the Japanese government's basic position regarding Taiwan remains as stated in the 1972 China-Japan Joint Statement, and there has been no change to this position."
"The [Chinese] Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated its solemn position on this. Here I want to stress again that the Taiwan question is purely China's internal affair that brooks no external interference. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi blatantly made erroneous remarks on Taiwan at the Diet. Her remarks grossly interfered in China's internal affairs. In face of doubts and criticisms from China and the international community, Takaichi's perfunctory response of 'no change in Taiwan-related position' is unacceptable as a response to China. The Japanese side must reflect on its wrongdoing and retract the erroneous remarks immediately," said Chen.
"With his evil aim of seeking secession, Lai Ching-te pandered to Takaichi's erroneous remarks in a complete loss of stance of the Chinese nation. His move of ingratiation towards Japan is contemptible and meaningless," the spokesman said.
Takaichi had previously claimed during a Diet meeting on Nov. 7 that the Chinese central authorities' "use of force on Taiwan" could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, which immediately drew strong criticism at home and abroad.
Lai showed support for Takaichi on Nov 20 by posting a photo of himself eating Japanese cuisine on social media. Netizens in Taiwan satirized that Lai's supportive gesture for the Japanese leader ended up in vain.
Lai Ching-te's move of ingratiation towards Japan contemptible, meaningless: spokesman
