WHO Warns Delays in Medical Aid to Gaza Could Have ‘Devastating Consequences’

DID Press: World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that repeated delays in the delivery of life-saving medicines, prosthetics and medical equipment from Israel into Gaza could have “devastating consequences” for Palestinians in urgent need of treatment.

Reinhilde Van De Weerdt, WHO Representative in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, has called on Israeli authorities to ease restrictions on the entry of medical supplies and allow humanitarian and health aid to enter Gaza “unimpeded and predictably.”

According to the WHO, Kerem Shalom is currently the only crossing through which approved aid can enter Gaza, while other main crossings remain closed. The organization also said that one shipment of prosthetics and assistive devices had been rejected four times over the past six months.

The WHO said medical equipment, including X-ray machines, sterilization equipment, CT-scan spare parts and laboratory supplies, has frequently faced delays or rejection. It added that about 40% of laboratory and diagnostic equipment remained pending approval.

With winter beginning, the WHO has also warned of additional risks to health and safety. Nearly 2 million people in Gaza need shelter, while cold weather and the risk of flooding could further expose displaced Palestinians to serious health and safety threats. UNICEF has separately reported that more than 1.76 million people in Gaza continue to live in overcrowded displacement sites or damaged and inadequate shelters.