Some 50,000 pregnant women are among the 2.2 million people in besieged Gaza, and 5,500 are due to give birth in the coming weeks, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) has reported.

As the conflict between Israel and Hamas enters a second month, UNFPA is working round the clock to provide support to pregnant women and hospitals, which face a lack of electricity, water, medicines, supplies and personnel.

Laila Baker, UNFPA Regional Director for the Arab States, said a humanitarian ceasefire is needed now to allow aid in and to protect both civilians and aid workers.

Speaking from Cairo, she told UN News’s Khaled Mohamed how the agency continues to deliver for women and girls in Gaza, including mothers-to-be.