Middle-East

Intense heat in Gaza could worsen health crisis for Palestinians, WHO warns

A Palestinian man cools off dogs amid the soaring heat wave, in Gaza City July 17, 2023. (Reuters)

By Reuters | Friday, June 21, 2024

The World Food Programme has warned that a massive public health crisis is looming in Gaza due to the lack of clean water, food and medical supplies.

The World Health Organisation warned on Friday that scorching heat in the Gaza Strip could exacerbate health problems for Palestinians displaced by Israeli bombardment and heavy fighting between its forces and Hamas.

The World Food Programme has warned that a massive public health crisis is looming in Gaza due to the lack of clean water, food and medical supplies.

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"We've seen massive displacement over the last weeks and months, and we know that combination and the heat can cause a rise in diseases," said Richard Peeperkorn, WHO's representative for Gaza and the West Bank.

"We have water contamination because of hot water, and we will have much more food spoilage because of the high temperature. We will get insect mosquitoes and flies, dehydration, heat stroke."

Extreme heat has killed hundreds worldwide as the northern hemisphere summer begins.

Peeperkorn said in Gaza, due to poor water and sanitation conditions, the number of cases of diarrhoea was 25 times higher than usual.

Contaminated water and poor sanitation are linked to diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery and hepatitis A, according to the WHO.

The WHO has been unable to carry out medical evacuations from Gaza since the closure of the Rafah crossing in early May.

Peeperkorn said an estimated 10,000 patients still required medical evacuation from Gaza, half of whom are suffering from ailments related to the war.

Israel's air and ground offensive has killed more than 37,400 people in Palestine, according to health authorities there.

At least 1,200 Israelis have been killed and more than 250 people taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.