A/HRC/10/22 page 22 women in Gaza, and reported on many cases of premature labour and delivery resulting from shock and trauma from continuous bombing, and the exposure of premature and newborn infants to hypothermia owing to the lack of electricity. UNFPA findings for the period during the crisis showed a 40 per cent increase in cases of miscarriage admitted to maternities, a 50 per cent increase in neonatal deaths and an important increase in the number of premature deliveries. For example, on 10 January 2009, Wafa al-Masrai, 40 years old and 9 months pregnant, left her home in Beit Lahia in north Gaza with her sister, Rada, and attempted to reach her local hospital. While en route to the hospital, she was struck by an Israeli rocket and critically injured. She gave birth to a healthy baby after having one of her legs amputated.23 Given the primary role of women as caregivers, such a disability will not only adversely reflect on the level and quality of care of children and the family but it will also seriously undermine a woman’s “value” in society as a whole. 77. The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights reported that women and children that had taken shelter inside schools administered by UNRWA suffered shell attacks inside those protected areas. The Special Rapporteur received alarming reports of entire families being hit by Israeli shelling.59 78. In addition, the worsening food insecurity in Gaza following the military operation led to a further deterioration in the health and nutritional status of the majority of Gazans, in particular women and children, many of whom are already largely dependent on meagre humanitarian assistance. In addition, the Special Rapporteur would like to highlight the disproportionate effects of house demolitions on women, children and the elderly (see also sections A, C and D above). 79. In 2005, following her visit to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the Special Rapporteur concluded that the protracted conflict and occupation had contributed to creating an integrated system of violence that had a profound impact on Palestinian women. This situation has been aggravated by the recent military attacks. A UNFPA survey of 8 February 2009 on the situation of women in Gaza highlighted the immediate psychological problems endured by women, such as extreme feelings of fear and insecurity, depression and sadness, the debilitating effects of which often made them unable to fulfil their vital role as caregivers. The extent of the destruction in the latest military campaign, which took place in the wake of over a year and a half of severe blockade that brought the Gaza economy to the brink of collapse and has yet again debilitated the coping mechanisms of an already impoverished and traumatized population, will further increase the degree and extent of oppression of the occupation. Without a lifting of the blockade, women will continue to be prevented from having access to vital, sometimes life-saving medical treatment in Israel or neighbouring countries owing to restrictions on their freedom of movement and denial of travel permits. In addition, women will continue to endure the burden of chronic 59 In one case, 22 members of the Al-Sammoni family, including 9 children and 7 women, were killed in Zaytoun, east of Gaza City on 4 and 5 January 2009. The majority of the victims were killed while sheltering inside a house that collapsed after having been struck by three missiles launched by the Israel Defense Forces. See Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Protection of Civilians Weekly Report, 16-20 January 2009.