DaysofPal- The director of Medical Relief in the Gaza Strip, Dr. Mohammed Abu Afash, warned on Thursday of a dramatic and unprecedented decline in public health conditions due to the tightened blockade and continued restrictions on the entry of essential aid. He described the situation as a worsening crisis, with the territory moving from one level of hardship to an even more severe one, in the absence of reliable energy sources and following the destruction of solar power systems.
In radio remarks, Abu Afash said that facilities now rely almost entirely on electrical generators, which are themselves struggling due to shortages of oil and spare parts.
He warned that thousands of patients, especially those in operating rooms, intensive care units, and neonatal incubators, would suffer catastrophically if these generators were turned off. He also warned of the risk of losing critical laboratory materials that were obtained with great difficulty.
He revealed that the medical supplies and medicines entering Gaza meet only 5 to 7 percent of the population’s actual needs.
Alongside the medical shortages, Abu Afash pointed to the spread of serious public health hazards caused by the accumulation of thousands of tons of waste and flooding sewage in displacement centers. He said rodents are now living among residents inside tents, and several cases have already been recorded of children being bitten.
He added that these overlapping crises are being sustained in a way that ensures the continuation of suffering, noting early signs of a worsening food shortage in the absence of adequate shelters or alternative housing such as temporary units.
Abu Afash called for urgent intervention to provide immediate relief solutions, including proper sanitation systems and access to clean water, in order to limit the spread of disease.
The urgency of these needs follows a “bloody night.” Heavy bombardment continues to target various neighborhoods, including Al-Tuffah, Al-Zaytoun, and Al-Sanafour, along with the Al-Bureij camp. Without swift action, the health system’s collapse will lead to a death toll that rivals the direct impact of the intensive Israeli strikes.
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