The health care situation is worsening in Gaza as more than 17,700 Palestinians have been killed since Oct. 7. Israel has intensified ground fighting and has increased more airstrikes.
Leaders from multiple countries and human rights groups have called for an immediate cease-fire, but Israel says “it is prepared to fight for months or longer to defeat Gaza’s Hamas rulers,” The Associated Press reported.
What’s happening in Gaza?
About 90% of the 2.3 million people that call Gaza home have now been displaced within the warring region — United Nations agencies “say there is no safe place to flee,” per AP.
With the intensified fighting, delivering humanitarian aid has become especially difficult — particularly in Khan Younis, the largest city in the south of Gaza.
“Gaza’s health system is on its knees and collapsing,” World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, per NBC News.
Health care situation is growing dire in Gaza
According to a United Nations humanitarian agency, Gaza is teetering on the edge of losing “civil order” and appears close to “collapse” due to the continued fighting and unavailability for aid deliveries.
“Too many people haven’t eaten now for two, three days in the Gaza Strip,” United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees Chief Philippe Lazzarini told CNN. “The more (that) we will see breakdown of civil order, the more (UNRWA) will be at risk not to be able to operate anymore.”
This week, Israel released the names of 20 hostages still held by Hamas that Israel believes are dead. Around 140 hostages are still being held by Hamas, according to NBC News.