WHO: Aid restrictions to Gaza deepen health crisis, raise regional concerns

GAZA, April 13 (YPA) – Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean at the World Health Organization, Dr. Hanan Balkh, warned that ongoing Israeli restrictions on the entry of medical aid into the Gaza Strip are severely hampering the health response, cautioning that the spread of disease now threatens the wider region.

In remarks to Anadolu Agency, Balkhi said the crisis in Gaza has moved beyond the impact of Israeli attacks, with access to healthcare increasingly constrained as the system operates at full capacity amid acute shortages of essential resources.

She noted that life-saving medical supplies remain available but are unable to enter the territory due to the closure of crossings and tight restrictions on aid flows, warning that fuel shortages could force hospitals—already functioning on rotating emergency schedules—to shut down.

Balkhi also highlighted the suspension of medical evacuations via the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings since February 28, leaving critically ill patients without access to urgent, life-saving treatment.

She added that collapsing infrastructure, inadequate sanitation, limited clean water, and widespread displacement and overcrowding are accelerating the spread of disease, describing the situation as a “health nightmare” with implications for both Gaza and the broader region.

AA