WHO warns of ‘devastating consequences’ due to delayed aid entry into Gaza

What the report says

The World Health Organization has warned that repeated delays in getting humanitarian supplies from Israel into Gaza could have “devastating consequences” for people needing urgent care. In comments reported by Al Jazeera on Friday, the WHO’s representative in Palestine, Reinhilde Van De Weerdt, said restrictions on the entry of medicines, prosthetics and other health items were hampering hospitals and clinics across the territory.

According to the report, approved aid is being routed through the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Gaza, while Rafah is open only for limited movement of people, including patients traveling for treatment abroad. Van De Weerdt called on Israeli authorities to ease pressure on medical supplies, saying essential medicines should not be treated as prohibited dual-use items. She also said one shipment of prosthetics and assistive devices had been rejected four times over the past six months.

The WHO said it wants a predictable, large-scale flow of humanitarian and health supplies, ideally through more than one crossing. The agency also warned that winter weather, shelter shortages, flooding risk and possible disease outbreaks are adding to the crisis. Al Jazeera also cited UN humanitarian officials saying solid waste buildup and limited access to machinery, fuel and spare parts are worsening public health conditions in Gaza City.