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 witnessing a massacre. i'mjust _ couldn't. we may be witnessing a massacre. i'm just telling - a massacre. i'm just telling you i love you. and i wrote back, i love you, mum. you i love you. and i wrote back, ilove you, mum. she writes, they are in the house now. i said i writes, they are in the house now. isaid i have writes, they are in the house now. i said i have no words, i'm with you. she writes, i feel you. and that was it. that's the last message. jeremy bowen reporting _ that's the last message. jeremy bowen reporting fair— that's the last message. jeremy bowen reporting fair back - that's the last message. jeremy bowen reporting fair back in - bowen reporting fair back in october. earlier i spoke about the role of women fighting in the middle east with cynthia and lo, has at clark university. professor, thank you forjoining us. i want to start with the death toll we are seeing in gaza right now. 67% of those killed women and children. but if we take a look at women in political leadership in the israeli can sit and in the war cabinet right now and also in the hamas run gaza leadership, when it comes to women, it is disproportionately low. and now we are facing a war. so at times like this, how important is female leadership? it is alwa s is female leadership? it is always important. - is female leadership? it is always important. it - is female leadership? it is always important. it is - always important. it is important in peacetime, it is important in peacetime, it is important in peacetime, it is important in wartime, it's always important, and it is not just women as a category. it is women who have actually been knowledgeable who are organised, who are part of civil society and taking up women's rights issues, women's health and housing and anti—violence issues. that's the kind of women you need in peacetime and wartime to make reasonable realistic decisions. there has been a strong peace movement for a very long time between israeli and palestinian women, often coming together. is it a stereotype to look at women as peace builders, nor is there something about the fact that, not always but in some cases, they are people who may be caring for families and therefore they inherently and better understand the risks of war? ., . better understand the risks of war? . , . , better understand the risks of war? ., , ., war? that is a very good way to ut it war? that is a very good way to - ut it i war? that is a very good way to put it i think. _ war? that is a very good way to put it i think. it— war? that is a very good way to put it i think. it is _ war? that is a very good way to put it i think. it is very - put it i think. it is very helpful to think that it is not about biology. it is about roles in society and knowledge about society that make women particularly less invested in military solutions. it is not like all men are pro—military solutions, they are not. a lot of men have taken part in peace movements all around the world. but it is true that women have much less of a stake in seeing any conflict, any profound difference in militarised terms. that is true and that is why so many women feel they not only feel that they believe that they are being excluded from senior decision—making posts in these difficult times is making it much harder to come to realistic, sustainable peace. i come to realistic, sustainable eace. ., ., ., ., peace. i want to ask about some ofthe peace. i want to ask about some of the impacts — peace. i want to ask about some of the impacts on _ peace. i want to ask about some of the impacts on this _ peace. i want to ask about some of the impacts on this more - of the impacts on this more specifically on women, on seventh october when hamas carried out its attack, we saw taking hostage, including women, and subsequently after we saw images of not only women injured, but also in some cases undressed, and ijust wonder in your assessment is that also a tactic of war, to try and strike fear into the female population? strike fear into the female penulation?_ strike fear into the female population? strike fear into the female --oulation? ~ ~ ., ., population? well, we know from bosnian feminists, _ population? well, we know from bosnian feminists, we _ population? well, we know from bosnian feminists, we know - population? well, we know from| bosnian feminists, we know from ethiopian feminists, we know from feminists in many different, horrific war zones that the sexualisation of violence is part and parcel, not of every war, we shouldn't lump them all together, but in so many wars, and you are right, it is part of fear mongering. it is part of humiliation, which is oftentimes a weapon, by both sides, in any conflict. indie oftentimes a weapon, by both sides, in any conflict. we have seen the _ sides, in any conflict. we have seen the departure _ sides, in any conflict. we have seen the departure of- sides, in any conflict. we have seen the departure of some i seen the departure of some women leaders in the world stage in recent years. i am thinking of germany's angela merkel, new zealand's jacinda ardern, and in finland. do you think that female leadership on the world stage is also important to shaping the foreign policy response? it foreign policy response? it absolutely is, and the departure survey is very important women is being felt. but we really have to watch the whole, as they refer to it in electoral strategy terms, the whole pipeline. there are many women coming up through may realities, governorships, members of parliament, senior civil servants, and in fact they have the kind of knowledge especially, especially if they have kept up their connections with women's civil society organisations. those women are the ones who are much more likely to be able to achieve diplomatic rather than military solutions. ., , diplomatic rather than military solutions. ., ., ~ diplomatic rather than military solutions. ., , ., ~ , ., solutions. professor, thank you solutions. professor, thank you so much for _ solutions. professor, thank you so much for sharing _ solutions. professor, thank you so much for sharing your - so much for sharing your thoughts. so much for sharing your thoughts-— thank you for your company. more world news for you at the top of the hour. join me then. goodbye for now. hello, there. for many of us, friday was a day to get out and enjoy some of the beautiful autumn colour, but at this time of year, clear skies by day, well, if we keep them through the night, it can cause other issues, with frost and fog, and yes, those two components are going to play quite a major role in the weather story this weekend. saturday will be the driest of the two days. there's some rain around on sunday. more details on that in just a moment, but it will be a chilly start — quite widely we will see low single figures, particularly in sheltered central and eastern areas. this weather front will start to push in by the end of the day, but before it, we have this brief ridge of high pressure, which will keep things quite quiet and with light winds, as well. so a few isolated showers on exposed coasts, not amounting to much, frost and fog will lift away, sunny spells come through by the middle part of the afternoon, and temperatures, well, they will recover, after that chilly start. we are expecting to see highs of 7 to 11 degrees. maybe 12 down to the southwest, but you can see the rain gathering, perhaps into the isles of scilly by the end of the afternoon. so that weather front will start to push its way into cornwall, and eventually into south wales. there's that weather front and ahead of it, it will push in a little more moisture, so we are expecting more fog around for the start of sunday. remembrance sunday could be quite a drab, dreary affair, with some widespread fog at times. the rain down to the south, but it may well stay dry at 11 o'clock in scotland. a murky morning, certainly, but the rain, light and patchy into northern ireland, perhaps into northern england, heavier bursts through wales and southwest england, perhaps for london, to the cenotaph, it should stay dry during the morning. but then we will see outbreaks of showery rain drifting its way steadily northwards throughout the day. it'll stay dry for scotland, here around seven or eight degrees. underneath the cloud and rain it will feel rather cool and disappointing, i'm afraid. then as we move out of sunday into monday, we start to see the wind direction swinging back to more of a westerly or a southwesterly and that will introduce milder but unfortunately, once again, it will introduce some wetter weather. so our week ahead — a little more unsettled with showers or longer spells of rain at times. voiceover: this is bbc news. we'll have the headlines and all the main news stories for you at the top of the hour, straight after this programme. it was the most deadly fire in modern us history. both sides, to the left and the right, are on fire. many people trying to escape simply couldn't. the choice would have been get out of the car and possibly burn or stay in the car and possibly burn. oh, my god. it crossed. oh, my god.