Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, said Gaza’s health services had been left “shattered” after two years of conflict and “on the brink of total collapse”.
“When the fighting stops, a new fight will begin: rebuilding Gaza’s health system and rescuing an entire population from the brink of famine and despair.“he told reporters at a press conference on Wednesday.
Reconstruction will cost more than $7 billion, according to WHO estimates, and will cover humanitarian response, early recovery and long-term reconstruction.
“Rebuilding Gaza’s health system will not only save lives today; will restore dignity, stability and hope for the future”said Dr. Balkhy.
Two years after the war, the humanitarian cost remains staggering.
Dr Balkhy said more than half a million are “trapped in famine-like conditions”, while another million are severely food insecure. Since January, 455 people – including 151 children, mostly under five years old – have died from malnutrition, according to Palestinian health authorities.
A teenager receives treatment in a Gaza hospital.
‘A hellish war’
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) painted a similarly bleak picture, describing Gaza as “a hellish war that has devastated children.“
In a statement, executive director Catherine Russell said: “Over the past two years, a staggering 64,000 children have been killed or maimed across the Gaza Strip, including at least 1,000 babies.”
“Famine persists in Gaza City and is spreading to the south, where children are already living in terrible conditions,” he added.
UNICEF called for an immediate ceasefire and for Israel to ensure full protection of civilians under international law.
“Every murdered child is an irreplaceable loss,“Ms. Russell said.”For the sake of all the children of Gaza, this war must end now.“
Critical Supplies Needed Now
Dr Balkhy said the WHO had delivered 17 million liters of fuel to keep Gaza’s hospitals and ambulances running, but “much more is needed”. Essential supplies, from antibiotics to wound dressings, must reach all parts of the territory “without delay,” he stressed.
Of Gaza’s 176 primary health care centres, only about a third remain partially operational.
The WHO has warned that the collapse of vaccination, maternity and mental health services has worsened the risk of outbreaks. More than 1,700 healthcare workers have been killed since October 2023.
Talks continue
On the political front, top American envoys and other key intermediaries from Qatar and Türkiye arrived in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on Wednesday for a third day of indirect talks between representatives of Israel and Hamas.
