Gaza, Oct 3 (V7N) - Nearly 42,000 people in Gaza, including more than 10,000 children, are living with life-changing injuries as the territory’s health system collapses under relentless strain, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Thursday. These severe injuries account for one quarter of all reported casualties, with over 167,300 people injured since October 2023, according to Rik Peeperkorn, WHO Representative in the West Bank and Gaza.
 
More than 5,000 individuals have faced amputations and other severe trauma to their arms, legs, and spinal cords. WHO highlighted that dozens of rehabilitation workers have been killed, and many facilities are nearing collapse. Currently, fewer than 14 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals remain partially functional, and less than one-third of pre-conflict rehabilitation services are operating.
 
Maternity and childbirth services have also been heavily affected. The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) estimates that 55,000 pregnant women remain trapped in Gaza, facing displacement, bombardment, severe hunger, and malnutrition. About 130 babies are born daily, with over a quarter delivered by Caesarean section. Weekly, at least 15 women give birth outside health facilities without skilled assistance, and roughly one in five newborns is premature or underweight.
 
James Elder from UNICEF described the situation at Al Aqsa and Nasser hospitals as overwhelming, with large numbers of mothers and newborns in corridors due to the devastation of healthcare infrastructure.
 
Conflict-related injuries have also caused widespread psychological trauma. Survivors are struggling with trauma, loss, and daily survival in an environment where psychosocial services are scarce. WHO emphasized the urgent need for investment in rehabilitation, mental health, and disability-inclusive care.
 
Fuel, medical supplies, prosthetics, and assistive devices are in critical shortage, alongside the need for protection for healthcare workers and medical evacuation. More than 15,000 patients, including 3,800 children, require specialized treatment outside Gaza. WHO called for more countries to accept patients and for the restoration of referral pathways through the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
 
Meanwhile, humanitarian officials reported that the displacement crisis continues to worsen. UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said that more than 6,700 people fled northern Gaza to the south within a 10-hour period on Wednesday alone, adding to over 417,000 displacements since mid-August. Families in southern Gaza are crowded into shelters or makeshift tents, with many others sleeping in the open, often amid rubble.
 
New arrivals face poor sanitation, no privacy or safety, and a high risk of children being separated from their families, while also being exposed to explosive ordnance. Humanitarian agencies continue to urge immediate international support to prevent further catastrophe in Gaza.
 
News Source: WHO Report
 
END/UN/SMA/