Health
WHO calls for unimpeded medical aid as Gaza faces winter health crisis
With only Kerem Shalom open for supplies and winter approaching, the WHO warns that delays in medicines, prosthetics and shelter risk disease outbreaks for nearly two million Gazans.
Restricted entry points choke aid flow
Almost a year into a fragile cease‑fire, Gaza’s humanitarian situation remains overwhelming as Israeli airstrikes and other military activity persist. Humanitarian aid can enter only through the Kerem Shalom crossing, while the Rafah gate permits limited movement of patients needing treatment abroad. At least four other main entry points—Kissufim, Gate 96, Erez and Erez West—remain closed, sharply curtailing the volume and speed of essential supplies. WHO Representative Dr Reinhilde Van De Weerdt warned that a truck full of non‑priority supplies arriving too late does not save lives, underscoring the need for predictable, large‑scale entry of health aid.
Medical supplies face delays and rejections
In the past six months, more than 87 % of medicines destined for Gaza were approved, while just over 1 % were rejected, often on dual‑use grounds. By contrast, medicines move relatively well compared with other items, but a single shipment of prosthetics and assistive devices was turned away four times, showing how even non‑priority goods can stall. WHO officials stress that essential medicines should not be classified as dual‑use and call for an unimpeded, predictable entry of humanitarian and health supplies at scale. The agency also highlighted the extraordinary health workers who continue to risk their lives despite the scarcity of needed resources.
Winter conditions amplify health risks
About two million Gazans need shelter to protect against cold and flooding, a situation that heightens the risk of preventable disease outbreaks as winter begins. The lack of safe shelter, clean water and the proliferation of rats—known disease vectors—compound these threats, and rat bites can transmit infections. Destruction of public health laboratories hampers epidemic detection, while recent sanitation gains remain fragile because heavy machinery, engine oil, spare parts and sustained fuel supplies are scarce. OCHA has warned that solid‑waste accumulation in Gaza City creates serious public‑health risks. Mine‑action partners report that, after 37 assessment missions, they still lack the permissions and equipment needed to clear unexploded ordnance hazards, further endangering recovery.