RESPONSE:GAZA HOSPITALS AND PRIMARY HEALTHCARE

Due to the obstruction of aid entry into Gaza, Medicos del Mundo teams are facing severe shortages of essential medicines, medical and laboratory supplies, including antibiotics, treatments for chronic diseases, hygiene materials, clean water and healthy food. Medical teams on the ground have reported a significant increase in cases of malnutrition throughout September 2024, along with the continued spread of acute respiratory infections, skin infections and other communicable diseases due to a lack of hygiene materials and the continued deterioration of survival conditions. These shortages not only undermine public health in Gaza, but also hinder medical response by creating a vicious cycle that severely affects patient recovery, as simple infections that would normally be cured within a week worsen and require months, additional medical resources and supervision to cure.

Movements to provide humanitarian aid and services inside the Gaza Strip are extremely dangerous due to continued airstrikes, even in the “humanitarian” zone designated by Israel.Medicos del Mundo has to notify Israeli authorities of all its movements inside Gaza and coordinate all movements outside the Israeli designated humanitarian zone, which are often delayed or denied. Israeli attacks have targeted aid convoys from organizations such as World Central Kitchen, World Food Program and Anera, demonstrating that coordination with Israeli authorities does not ensure the safety of humanitarian personnel.