Respiratory illnesses rise in Gaza with worst to come as winter floods arrive

The World Health Organization (WHO) has sounded the alarm on a surge in respiratory illnesses in Gaza, warning that the situation will only worsen with the arrival of winter floods. Nearly a million displaced individuals in Gaza reside in areas vulnerable to flooding, with 400,000 of them in regions deemed at extremely high risk.

Dr. Reinhilde Van De Weerdt, the WHO representative in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, reported that acute respiratory infections have increased by 33,000 cases compared to the same period last year.

Poor living conditions and severe overcrowding are exacerbating the spread of infections, as Gaza's population is compressed into an increasingly smaller area. The Israeli military's advancements toward the "Yellow Line," a demarcation established under October's US-brokered ceasefire, have further intensified the issue. The WHO stated that the crowded conditions created by the Yellow Line facilitate the rapid transmission of viruses among humans.

The Israeli military maintains that the Yellow Line's placement aims to safeguard Israeli civilians and troops from threats, in accordance with the ceasefire agreement and international law, and not to harm the civilian population. COGAT, the Israeli military agency coordinating aid, has delivered over 93,000 tents and more than 8,600 trucks carrying tarpaulin sheets, blankets, and winter clothing to Gaza since the winterization plan was initiated by the Board of Peace, UN agencies, and NGOs.

Despite the influx of medical supplies, the WHO faces challenges in delivering laboratory equipment, which is crucial for diagnosing patients before treatment. Van De Weerdt emphasized that preventing outbreaks requires allowing laboratory equipment to enter Gaza immediately to avert a public health disaster on top of an existing disaster.