Civilians in Gaza are living in a state of peril and heavy bombardments are having devastating impacts on the population, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Dr. Natalia Kanem, said in a statement regarding the the situation in Gaza.

“With the communication blackout, UNFPA is unable to reach its staff in Gaza and is extremely concerned for their safety and that of the women and girls we serve. This includes thousands of pregnant women, new mothers and newborns who are unable to access essential healthcare,” Kanem said.

UNFPA calls for the protection of all civilians and civilian infrastructure in Gaza, including healthcare facilities, health workers and patients.

“We call for the protection of humanitarian workers, for the unconditional release of all hostages, and for international humanitarian law to prevail,” she added.

UNFPA also joins calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and for the delivery of life-saving humanitarian supplies at the scale needed to respond to the desperate needs of the people in Gaza.

In this urgent test of humanity, international solidarity and peace must prevail, the UNFPA Executive Director added.