WHO Urges Rebuilding Gaza Health System to Protect Lives

A hospital in northern Gaza lies in ruins following misiles strikes.

As indirect talks in Egypt seek to end Gaza’s two-year war, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) says rebuilding the devastated health system is critical to achieving lasting peace and stability.

Dr. Hanan Balkhy, WHO Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, said Gaza’s health services had been “shattered” after two years of conflict and were “on the brink of total collapse.”

“When the fighting stops, a new struggle will begin – to rebuild Gaza’s health system and rescue an entire population from the edge of famine and despair,” she told reporters on Wednesday.

Reconstruction is estimated to cost over $7 billion, covering humanitarian response, early recovery, and long-term rebuilding.

“Rebuilding Gaza’s health system will not only save lives today; it will restore dignity, stability, and hope for the future,” Dr. Balkhy said.

Two years into the war, the humanitarian crisis remains severe. More than half a million people are “trapped in famine-like conditions,” while another million are severely food-insecure. Since January, 455 people, including 151 children under five, have died from malnutrition, according to Palestinian health authorities.

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) described Gaza as “a hellish war that has devastated children.” Executive Director Catherine Russell said, “In the last two years, a staggering 64,000 children have reportedly been killed or maimed, including at least 1,000 babies.”

“Famine persists in Gaza City and is spreading south, where children are living in dire conditions,” she added. UNICEF called for an immediate ceasefire and full protection of civilians under international law.

WHO has delivered 17 million litres of fuel to keep hospitals and ambulances running, but “far more is needed.” Essential supplies — from antibiotics to wound dressings — must reach all parts of Gaza “without delay.”

Of 176 primary healthcare centres, only about a third remain partially functional. The collapse of vaccination, maternity, and mental health services has increased the risk of outbreaks. More than 1,700 health workers have been killed since October 2023.

Top US envoys, along with mediators from Qatar and Türkiye, are holding third-day indirect talks in Sharm el-Sheikh between Israeli and Hamas representatives.

Despite talks, Israeli military operations continue in Gaza City’s Rimal and Zaitoun neighbourhoods, worsening the humanitarian crisis.

A UN analysis found that 83% of structures in Gaza City have been damaged, affecting around 81,000 housing units.