New mass displacement of Palestinians fleeing fighting, health facilities crammed with people seeking refuge, food
World Health Organization (WHO) teams have embarked on high-risk missions, in collaboration with partners, to deliver crucial supplies to hospitals in both Northern and Southern Gaza. These areas are currently grappling with intense hostilities, elevated patient loads, and overcrowding resulting from people displaced by the conflict seeking refuge.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, reiterated the urgent call to the international community to take immediate action in alleviating the severe threat facing the population of Gaza. This situation not only endangers lives but also poses a significant challenge to the ability of humanitarian workers to assist individuals with severe injuries, acute hunger, and a heightened risk of disease.
During the latest high-risk mission conducted on December 26th, WHO teams visited two hospitals—Al-Shifa in the north and Al-Amal Palestine Red Crescent Society in the south. The primary objectives were to deliver essential supplies and assess the critical needs on the ground. Both hospitals are also serving as shelters for displaced individuals, with Al-Shifa accommodating around 50,000 people and Al-Amal hosting 14,000.
At Al-Shifa, WHO delivered fuel to sustain essential health services and collaborated with UNICEF to supply medical resources. Additionally, in support of the World Central Kitchen, an NGO partner, WHO delivered materials to support a kitchen at Al-Shifa. Medical supplies were also dispatched to the Gaza Central Drug Store, designated as a medical supply hub for other hospitals, with ongoing support from WHO and its partners.
The situation at Al-Amal revealed the aftermath of recent strikes that disabled the hospital’s radio tower and impacted the central ambulance dispatch system for the entire Khan Younis area, affecting over 1.5 million people. WHO staff reported significant challenges, including limited functioning ambulances and overcrowded conditions with few available toilets.
Throughout their transit across Gaza, WHO staff witnessed tens of thousands of people fleeing heavy strikes in the Khan Younis and Middle Area, resorting to various means of transportation, including walking, riding on donkeys, or using cars. Make-shift shelters were observed being hastily constructed along the road.
Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, WHO Representative in WHO’s office for the West Bank and Gaza, expressed deep concern about the potential strain on health facilities in the south due to the fresh displacement of people. This forced mass movement is expected to exacerbate overcrowding, increase the risk of infectious diseases, and further complicate humanitarian aid delivery.
Recent WHO assessments indicate that Gaza has 13 partially functioning hospitals, 2 minimally functioning ones, and 21 that are not operational. The status of Nasser Medical Complex, the crucial referral hospital in Southern Gaza, is particularly worrisome, with reports of ordered evacuations in surrounding residential areas.
Dr. Tedros emphasized the pressing need for a ceasefire to protect civilians from further violence and initiate the challenging path towards reconstruction and peace. Despite a recent United Nations Security Council resolution, eyewitness accounts on the ground indicate a tragic lack of impact on humanitarian aid distribution within Gaza. Dr. Tedros urged for immediate action to address the escalating crisis and ensure the safety and well-being of the Gaza population.
WHO staff reported on Tuesday that the urgent need for food persists across the Gaza Strip, with hungry individuals stopping WHO convoys in the hope of finding sustenance. The ability of WHO to supply essential medicines, medical supplies, and fuel to hospitals is increasingly constrained by the hunger and desperation of people en route to, and within, the hospitals they are trying to reach.
Dr. Tedros underscored the critical nature of the situation, emphasizing that the safety of WHO staff and the continuity of operations hinge on the immediate arrival of more food throughout Gaza. He shared the distressing reality that his colleagues are being directly and personally affected by the conflict, with heartbreaking news of the loss of Gaza staffers’ family members reaching him regularly.
Despite a recent United Nations Security Council resolution offering hope for improved humanitarian aid distribution within Gaza, Dr. Tedros lamented that, based on WHO eyewitness accounts on the ground, the resolution has tragically yet to have a tangible impact. Urging an immediate ceasefire to spare civilians from further violence, he emphasized the necessity of beginning the arduous journey towards reconstruction and peace.
The current status of health facilities in Gaza, with 13 partially functioning hospitals, 2 minimally functioning ones, and 21 completely non-operational, underscores the critical need for sustained international intervention and support. The alarming reports surrounding Nasser Medical Complex, the vital referral hospital in Southern Gaza, are particularly troubling, raising concerns about the potential loss of yet another crucial healthcare facility.
Dr. Rik Peeperkorn emphasized that WHO is actively working to strengthen and expand the struggling health system in Gaza, but the recent mass displacement of people and the overall crisis present significant challenges.
As WHO continues its efforts to navigate these challenges, the urgent plea remains for a ceasefire to protect civilians, ensure the safety of humanitarian workers, and pave the way for the much-needed reconstruction and peacebuilding process in the region. The international community’s swift and decisive action is crucial to addressing the immediate humanitarian needs and charting a path towards a more stable and secure future for the people of Gaza.
