Gaza Herald- Fatal diseases are increasingly spreading in Gaza as Israel continues to impose restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid and medical supplies.
Oxfam stated that, over the past three months, waterborne diseases that are both treatable and preventable have increased by approximately 150% in the enclave.
According to data from multiple health agencies, the number of Palestinians seeking medical care for acute watery diarrhea has increased by 150%, bloody diarrhea by 302%, and acute jaundice by 101%.
Oxfam called on world leaders to take urgent action to pressure Israel to lift restrictions at Gaza’s crossings and allow the entry of food, warning that without immediate intervention, the health crisis could escalate into a deadly catastrophe.
Israel is responsible for the rapid spread of diseases due to its restrictions on the flow of humanitarian aid into the territory, Oxfam said in a statement.
“Israel has put Gaza under a near-total blockade since March 2 of this year, stopping all but a trickle of aid. There are no longer any humanitarian aid reserves held by international agencies inside of Gaza,” the statement said.
International humanitarian donors and agencies are unable to operate or save lives in Gaza as Israel continues to impose restrictions on aid distribution, despite having warehouses stocked with 420,000 pallets of aid, enough to feed two million starving people.
Oxfam said that even these figures are likely to be underreported, as around two million people trapped by Israel’s ongoing siege have limited access to the few healthcare facilities that are still operating.
