Palestine: The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that the number of casualties from disease may surpass those from bombings in the Gaza Strip if the health and sanitation systems are not restored.
Since the launch of Israeli strikes on Gaza on October 7, essential infrastructure in the besieged territory has been disrupted due to fuel and supply shortages, along with targeted attacks on hospitals and United Nations facilities.
“Eventually we will see more people dying from disease than from bombardment if we are not able to put back together this health system,” Ms. Margaret Harris, a spokesperson for the WHO, said at a briefing in Geneva.
Ms. Harris referred to the collapse of al-Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza as a “tragedy” and voiced concern about the detention of some of its medical staff by Israeli forces who took over the complex earlier this month.
The WHO spokesperson further raised concerns about a rise in outbreaks of infectious diseases in Gaza, particularly diarrheal diseases.
Citing a United Nations report on the living conditions of displaced residents in northern Gaza, Ms. Harris noted that “there are no medicines, no vaccination activities, no access to safe water and hygiene, and no food.”
All key sanitation services have stopped operating in Gaza, which raises the chances of gastrointestinal and infectious diseases among the local populations, including cholera.
According to reports, for Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, half of whom are children, finding drinkable water has become close to impossible.
The WHO has recorded more than 44,000 cases of diarrhoea and 70,000 acute respiratory infections. The UN health agency stated that it was extremely concerned that rains and floods during the approaching winter season would worsen the already dire situation.
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