The appeal has sparked both support and criticism among Mumsnet users, with critics saying the discussion forum should remain apolitical.
Pressure is growing on the UK and Irish governments to intervene to ensure life-saving maternity care can enter Gaza, as prominent public figures warn of a deepening crisis for mothers and newborns.
A group of high-profile mothers, including Joanna Lumley, Dame Judi Dench, Imelda Staunton, Jessie Buckley and Imelda Stevenson, has called on Justine Roberts, the founder of Mumsnet, to use the platform’s influence to press the government to act. In an open letter, the celebrities urge Mumsnet to “demand government action on Gaza’s deepening maternity crisis” and to help secure access for essential maternal health support.
The letter cites Unicef data showing a sharp rise in newborn deaths. The number of babies dying on their first day of life has increased by 75 percent, from an average of 27 deaths per month in 2022 to 47 per month between July and September 2025. The signatories also call for menstrual and hygiene supplies to be allowed into Gaza.
Mumsnet reaches around eight million users each month, and its co-founder Justine Roberts regularly meets prime ministers to lobby on issues affecting mothers and families, making the platform a powerful lever for political pressure.
The appeal has sparked both support and criticism among Mumsnet users, with critics saying the discussion forum should remain apolitical.
At the centre of the dispute are six newly built mobile maternity units that have been blocked from entering Gaza and are currently being held outside the territory. Costing approximately £75,000 each, the units were part-funded by members of the UK and Irish public. Israel has refused entry to non-governmental organisations unless they comply with a new and highly restrictive re-registration process.
Humanitarian organisations say the requirements make it impossible to operate. In December, the United Nations and more than 200 NGOs warned that the process “imposes requirements that humanitarian organisations cannot meet without violating international legal obligations or compromising core humanitarian principles.” As a result, major aid agencies are being forced to withdraw. Doctors Without Borders, which assists with the delivery of one in three babies in Gaza, is expected to leave on March 1, alongside Oxfam and Save the Children.
Pressure is also increasing on the Irish government to intervene. On January 12, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions urged ministers to engage with its Israeli authorities to facilitate the entry of the maternity units.
Phil Ni Sheaghdha, general secretary of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation and president of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, said: “These essential purpose-built mobile maternity units [are] needed to provide the most fundamental care to women and infants in Gaza. It is inexplicable that they would be denied entry at the border.”
Image credit: Ruins of maternity hospital in Gaza – YouTube screen grab United Nations
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