WHO Warning: Gaza on the Brink of 'Public Health Catastrophe'

The World Health Organization announced that due to overcrowding, widespread displacement, and damage to infrastructure, a 'public health catastrophe' is imminent in Gaza. Christian Lindmeier, a spokesperson for the WHO, also warned about the risk of civilian deaths not directly related to Israeli bombardments. The Israeli army began its ground operations in Gaza last week. In response to whether people are dying from causes other than bombardment, Lindmeier stated, 'Without a doubt, that is the case.' Meanwhile, James Elder, a spokesperson for UNICEF, warned of the risk of infant deaths due to dehydration, stating, 'The death of children due to dehydration, especially the death of infants due to dehydration, is an increasing threat.' He added that many children are also falling ill from drinking saltwater. According to the UNICEF spokesperson, about 940 children are missing in Gaza, and it is believed that some of them may be trapped under rubble. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs announced that water supply in southern Gaza has been halted 'for unknown reasons.' At the same time, health officials reported that the only hospital dedicated to cancer patients in the Gaza Strip has also ceased operations after running out of fuel. Mai Al-Kaila, the Palestinian Minister of Health, stated that the total number of hospitals currently out of operation in the Strip has risen from 16 to 35. She added, 'The lives of 70 cancer patients in this hospital are seriously at risk.' Al-Kaila mentioned that the number of cancer patients in the Gaza Strip is about 2,000, many of whom have been displaced due to Israeli attacks and are living in 'catastrophic' health conditions. The WHO spokesperson called for permission to allow fuel into Gaza. Israel does not allow Gaza to secure its necessary fuel, claiming that Hamas could use it for military purposes. The Gaza Health Ministry, which is controlled by Hamas, stated that since the war began in the Gaza Strip, following Hamas's attack on southern Israel that resulted in approximately 1,400 Israeli deaths, at least 8,306 Palestinians have also been killed in Israel's retaliatory attacks. Joe Biden, the President of the United States, stated last week that he is 'skeptical' of how the increasing death toll is calculated by the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry. John Kirby, the National Security Council's Strategic Communications Coordinator, described this ministry as a 'front for Hamas,' which the U.S. has designated as a terrorist organization. In response, the Gaza Health Ministry published a 212-page report listing the names, ages, genders, and identification numbers of 6,747 Palestinians killed, attributing these extensive casualties to 'Israeli military aggression.' All official communications coming from the Gaza Strip are heavily controlled by Hamas, and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank also technically oversees this ministry, pays staff salaries, and supplies medical equipment to Gaza hospitals. The Palestinian Authority has explained its data collection process for the media. A spokesperson for this authority recently told Reuters that casualty figures are recorded based on direct reports from hospitals, ambulances, and first responders in Gaza, with the Red Crescent also cooperating in this process. This spokesperson acknowledged some discrepancies in the data but stated that they are generally reliable. Human Rights Watch, a New York-based NGO, stated that the figures from this ministry are 'relatively accurate' and that it did not find 'significant' errors when investigating past casualties in Gaza. An Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson also claimed that the Gaza Health Ministry 'consistently inflates civilian casualty numbers.' Mohammad Shtayyeh, the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, stated in an interview with Al Jazeera last week, 'The numbers are correct. These numbers are provided to us daily from Gaza hospitals collected by the Health Ministry.' Israel's response to Hamas's denial includes the release of new evidence of Hamas command centers beneath hospitals. The Israeli army claims that the largest hospital in Gaza is a Hamas command center; Hamas denies this. There is an 'urgent' need for fuel in Gaza; France has sent a 'helicopter carrier' to the eastern Mediterranean. U.S. intelligence officials stated that Israel was not responsible for the hospital explosion in Gaza. Britain stated that a Hamas missile was the cause of the explosion at the Gaza hospital.