WHO: Gaza Health Situation Catastrophic Due to Israeli War

Geneva, MINA – The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated on Sunday that the health sector in Gaza is facing “catastrophic” consequences due to the Israeli war, Palinfo reported.

Meanwhile, a UN official confirmed that half of Gaza’s population is starving, and 9 out of 10 people do not have enough food to eat daily.

During an exceptional session of the WHO Executive Board to discuss the repercussions of the Israeli war on Gaza, Ghebreyesus stated that the “impact of the conflict on health is catastrophic,” emphasizing that healthcare workers are performing impossible tasks in difficult conditions.

He pointed out that overcrowding and shortages in Gaza create “ideal conditions” for the spread of diseases, stating, “In short, the health needs have increased significantly, while the capacity of the health system has decreased to one-third of what it used to be.”

In response, Karl Skau, Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Program, said, “Half of the population is starving, and 9 out of 10 people do not eat every day. It is evident that the needs are enormous.” He further added in his statement to Reuters, “The situation inside Gaza has become increasingly chaotic. There is a question of how long this can continue because the humanitarian operation is collapsing.”

In a post on the WFP’s X platform, Fleischer stated during her visit to Gaza, “I have worked in emergency situations for 20 years, but nothing compares to what I have seen, heard, or felt in Gaza today,” noting that “Gazans face despair, fear, hunger, and the risk of famine.”

On Friday, Fleischer, accompanied by Karl Skau and the representative of the World Food Program in Palestine, Samer Abdel-Jaber, entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing to meet with WFP staff, local shop owners, and Palestinians affected by the ongoing conflict, according to a statement released by the organization on Saturday.

Since October 7th, the Israeli army has been waging a devastating war on the Gaza Strip, resulting in over 17,000 deaths and around 48,000 injuries, with the majority being children and women. The conflict has also caused immense destruction to infrastructure, in addition to an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe as hundreds of thousands have been displaced in search of safe areas.(T/R3/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)