The World Health Organization warned on Monday that Israel’s continued restrictions on the entry of medical supplies into the Gaza Strip are crippling the health response and accelerating the spread of disease, posing risks that extend beyond Gaza to the wider region.
Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, said the deterioration in Gaza is no longer limited to the impact of attacks but now includes the systematic obstruction of access to healthcare, leaving civilians increasingly vulnerable.
|Four Palestinians Killed In Ongoing Ceasefire Violations In Gaza|
Balkhy said in a press interview that access to medical care has become “severely threatened,” with Gaza’s health system operating at its limits amid rapidly shrinking resources, restricted movement, and soaring needs.
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She noted that life‑saving supplies are available but are not being allowed into the Strip. “Trucks, medicines, and medical equipment are waiting, while patients receive no care or extremely limited care,” she said, adding that most crossings into Gaza remain closed and the flow of medical aid is “severely constrained,” undermining the entire health response.
She warned that fuel entering Gaza remains far below the minimum required, forcing hospitals to operate on rotating power schedules.
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“Without fuel, hospitals will stop functioning,” she said. “This threatens not only the hospitals themselves but the entire health system.”
Balkhy added that the recent escalation has also disrupted the ceasefire framework, which was intended to facilitate aid delivery and ensure medical evacuations. She said medical evacuations remain irregular and unpredictable, depriving critically ill patients of access to life‑saving treatment.
Reconstruction of Gaza’s devastated infrastructure, including hospitals and housing, could take decades, she stated, creating conditions that allow diseases to spread and health needs to intensify.
Since the “ceasefire” began on October 11, 2025, only 388 patients — including 47 children — have been evacuated for treatment outside Gaza. Since October 2023, WHO has assisted in evacuating 3,668 patients.
