The tiny babies lie side by side, some wrapped in green fabric roughly taped around them for warmth, others wearing only nappies, a picture of vulnerability, their lives in grave danger with every minute that passes, Reuters reports.

The newborns are under the care of exhausted medics at Gaza’s Al Shifa hospital, which is besieged by Israeli tanks battling Hamas fighters, and lacks electricity, water, food, medicines and equipment.

“Yesterday I had 39 babies and today they have become 36,” said Dr Mohamed Tabasha, head of the paediatric department at Al Shifa, in a telephone interview.

“I cannot say how long they can last. I can lose another two babies today, or in an hour,” he said.

The premature babies, who weigh less than 1.5 kg each and in some cases only 700 or 800 grammes, should be in incubators where the temperature and humidity can be regulated according to their individual needs.

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