Amidst the conflict between Israel and Hamas-led militants, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports relentless assaults on crucial medical facilities in Gaza and the West Bank. Nearly 600 attacks have devastated healthcare, resulting in over 600 deaths and 770 injuries since the outbreak of war.
WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier condemns the ongoing violence and the alarming frequency of assaults on healthcare. The situation is dire, pushing Gaza’s population to a breaking point due to the continuous reduction of humanitarian space and the relentless attacks on vital medical infrastructure.
CHILDREN’S PLIGHT IN GAZA: RISING DISEASE AND NUTRITIONAL CRISIS
Children in the Gaza Strip face an escalating triple threat to their lives. As the conflict persists, disease cases surge, nutrition plummets, and the hostilities approach their fourteenth week, posing a grave risk to the health and well-being of the youngest victims, according to latest data on healthcare attacks from the World Health Organization (WHO).
HEALTHCARE UNDER FIRE: WHO’S ALARMING DATA ON ATTACKS
According to WHO’s online platform tracking healthcare attacks, Gaza has witnessed 304 attacks, affecting 94 healthcare facilities, including 26 out of 36 hospitals, and 79 ambulances since October 7. The West Bank faced 286 attacks, causing seven deaths and 52 injuries, impacting 24 health facilities and 212 ambulances.
UNICEF: GAZA’S CHILDREN CAUGHT IN A NIGHTMARE
UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Chief Catherine Russell emphasizes the nightmarish situation faced by children in Gaza. Their lives are increasingly at risk due to preventable diseases, food shortages, and water scarcity, exacerbating the already dire conditions.
DETERIORATING CHILD HEALTH: DIARRHOEA CASES SOAR IN GAZA
Cases of diarrhoea in children under five have skyrocketed from 48,000 to 71,000 in just a week, indicating a rapid deterioration in child health. The escalating crisis has resulted in a daily influx of 3,200 new diarrhoea cases, severely impacting Gaza’s child population.
AID EFFORTS STIFLED: CHALLENGES HAMPER RELIEF OPERATIONS
Security risks, mobility constraints, delays at checkpoints, and disrupted communication networks inder the delivery of essential aid, exacerbating the crisis in Gaza.
Despite committed aid efforts, relief operations face severe impediments.
UNRWA’S GRIM REPORT: DISPLACEMENT AND HUMANITARIAN CRISIS
UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) reports 142 staff casualties since the conflict’s onset, with 1.9 million people displaced in Gaza, accounting for over 85% of the region’s population. Families repeatedly seek safety, creating a dire situation for internally displaced persons (IDPs) seeking shelter in UNRWA facilities.
IOM’S URGENT APPEAL: HUMANITARIAN CRISIS DEMANDS $69 MILLION
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) launches a critical appeal for $69 million to address the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and neighbouring countries. The escalating conflict impedes aid efforts, with challenges ranging from clearance procedures to fuel scarcity.
