The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a stark warning, cautioning that a potential Israeli military offensive on Rafah in southern Gaza could lead to an “unfathomable catastrophe” and bring the enclave’s health system perilously close to collapse.
Richard Peeperkorn, the WHO representative for Gaza and the occupied West Bank, emphasized the devastating impact such military activities would have on the densely populated area.
Peeperkorn expressed deep concern over the potential exacerbation of the existing humanitarian disaster, highlighting the increased burden on an already overburdened health system.
He underscored the likelihood of heightened trauma and stressed that the health system could be pushed to the brink of collapse.
The WHO representative further revealed that the organization’s ability to deliver medical aid to Gaza faced severe limitations due to numerous denied requests to distribute supplies. Peeperkorn disclosed that only 40 percent of WHO’s missions to northern Gaza had been authorized since November, and this figure had significantly decreased since January.
He called attention to the concerning fact that a mere 45 percent of WHO’s mission requests for southern Gaza had been granted, characterizing the situation as “absurd.” The denial, impediment, or postponement of vital missions poses a significant hindrance to the organization’s efforts to address the growing health crisis in the region.
