- Israeli bombardments have wreaked havoc on Gaza Strip’s health system and access to clean water, the World Health Organization has said
- Israel’s refusal to let in fuel has forced desalination plants to shut down, with more than 33,551 cases of diarrhoea reported since mid-October
Palestinian children inspect the site of Israeli strikes on houses in the southern Gaza Strip. Photo: ReutersThe Gaza Strip faces an increased risk of disease spreading because of Israeli air bombardments that have disrupted the health system, access to clean water and caused people to crowd in shelters, the World Health Organization warned on Wednesday.
“As deaths and injuries in Gaza continue to rise due to intensified hostilities, intense overcrowding and disrupted health, water, and sanitation systems pose an added danger: the rapid spread of infectious diseases,” WHO said.
“Some worrying trends are already emerging.”
It said that the lack of fuel in the densely populated enclave had caused desalination plants to shut down, which increased the risk of spreading bacterial infections like diarrhoea.
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There have been extremely limited deliveries of food, water and medicine to Gaza. But despite calls from the United Nations and humanitarian aid groups, Israel has refused to let fuel in because it is concerned Hamas could divert it.
WHO said that more than 33,551 cases of diarrhoea had been reported since mid-October – the bulk of these cases were among children under five. The number of children affected marked a significant increase compared to an average of 2,000 cases monthly in that age group throughout 2021 and 2022.
The lack of fuel has also disrupted the collection of solid waste. WHO said this created an “environment conducive to the rapid and widespread proliferation of insects, rodents that can carry and transit diseases”.
WHO said that it was “almost impossible” for health facilities to maintain basic infection prevention measures, and this increases the risk of infection caused by trauma, surgery and childbirth.
“Disrupted routine vaccination activities, as well as lack of medicines for treating communicable diseases, further increase the risk of accelerated disease spread,” it warned.
Israel has bombarded Gaza unrelentingly in response to a Hamas raid on southern Israel on October 7, in which gunmen killed 1,400 people and took about 240 hostages.
Israeli bombardments have killed more than 10,500, including many women and children.
Israel has resisted calls by the United Nations and G7 nations for a humanitarian pause in the hostilities to alleviate the suffering in Gaza, saying it will not agree to a ceasefire until the hostages are released. Hamas says it will not stop fighting while Gaza is under attack.