World Health Organization: Disease May Claim More Lives of Gaza Residents Than Bombing

The spokesperson for the World Health Organization states that if the healthcare system in Gaza is not repaired, individuals may lose their lives to disease more than from bombing. According to Reuters, health officials in Gaza, deemed reliable by the United Nations, report that over 15,000 people have been killed in the Israeli bombardment of Gaza, approximately 40% of whom are children. Israel committed to destroying Hamas, the militant group ruling Gaza, following Hamas's attack on southern Israel on October 6. Margaret Harris from the WHO said in a briefing at the UN in Geneva, "Ultimately, if we cannot get the healthcare system in Gaza sorted out, we will see more deaths from disease than from bombing." She also reported an increase in infectious diseases, particularly diarrhea. Ms. Harris cited a UN report on the living conditions of displaced residents in northern Gaza, stating, "There is no medicine, vaccination, access to food, clean water, or sanitation facilities. We have seen a very high number of diarrhea cases among infants." She described the collapse of Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza as a "tragedy" and expressed concern over the detention of some of its medical staff by Israeli forces during its evacuation. On Thursday, December 2, Israeli military forces arrested Mohammed Abusalmieh, the head of Shifa Hospital, along with several doctors. These arrests occurred after the Israeli military released videos showing two Hamas hostages at the medical facility. On Monday, December 6, the Israeli army published confessions from several Hamas members, confirming the transfer of hostages through Shifa Hospital. These Hamas members admitted to transferring a number of hostages to Gaza using ambulances and acknowledged that they collaborated with the "Qassam" forces to transport them through Shifa Hospital and underground tunnels to other areas. Previously, Hamas denied any use of the hospital, including the existence of tunnels beneath the medical facility, a position that the head of Shifa Hospital had repeatedly reiterated. Meanwhile, James Elder, a spokesperson for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), told reporters that Gaza's hospitals are filled with children suffering from war injuries and gastroenteritis caused by drinking contaminated water. He noted that many parents are aware of what their children need but lack access to clean water, which has left them helpless. He also mentioned seeing a child who had lost part of his leg and had lain on the hospital floor for several hours without treatment due to a shortage of medical staff. Previously, the head of UNICEF had called Gaza the "most dangerous place in the world for children." Catherine Russell, UNICEF's executive director, stated that without an end to the war and full access to humanitarian aid, costs will rise exponentially. The United States, the European Union, and Japan have designated the Hamas militant group, which is supported by the Islamic Republic, as a terrorist organization. The UN hopes for aid to reach northern Gaza following a humanitarian pause in the war.