WHO Warns Gaza Hunger, Disease to Worsen Amid Blockade

Gaza community kitchens provide essential hot meals to Palestinians affected by the humanitarian crisis.

The UN World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday issued a fresh warning about the deadly impact of the ongoing Israeli blockade on the people of Gaza, who are already facing starvation.

In an online alert, the agency said disease and hunger will worsen unless all Israeli impediments to large-scale aid delivery are removed and full access is granted across the Strip.

The UN aid coordination office, OCHA, confirmed that some aid is allowed into Gaza daily, though the amount remains far too small to meet the massive needs.

OCHA’s Olga Cherevko recently revisited a UN-supported community kitchen in Gaza City that she last saw in March. The kitchen had struggled to remain open during the blockade.

The kitchen had been forced to close but reopened 10 days ago. “They’re now feeding 5,000 people a day, preparing hot meals for those in need in neighbouring communities,” she said.

“Of course, the number of meals remains severely insufficient because the volume of supplies entering is far too low. The only way to stop famine is by ensuring more supplies enter daily,” she added.

The WHO alert comes two days after at least 20 people were killed in a double strike on Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza, including four health workers and five journalists.

Across the Gaza Strip, WHO reports that over half a million people are trapped in famine, with widespread destruction to food and health services, as well as water and sanitation systems.

The UN General Assembly-mandated Palestinian rights committee warned that the famine is expected to worsen in the coming days if Israel does not allow more food aid.

“This catastrophic man-made disaster follows two years of near-total Israeli destruction and blockade of Gaza and relentless military assaults that have decimated civilian infrastructure, including food production capacities and all other means of subsistence,” the committee said.

“This is a grave breach of international law. States must act without delay to fulfil their legal obligations to bring a rapid end to this catastrophe and illegal situation.”