UNITED NATIONS, Oct 2 (IPS) – As the humanitarian crisis in Gaza intensifies due to the war between Israel and Hamas, concerns are growing about deteriorating public health due to prolonged flooding. Repeated airstrikes and forced evacuations in recent weeks have pushed many displaced civilians into flooding hotspots. An influx of torrential rains has greatly exacerbated the failing sanitation system, increasing the risk of water-borne diseases. Health experts fear conditions will continue to deteriorate in the coming winter months.
A primary source of concern for health officials is the large accumulation of dirty water caused by the accumulation of torrential rains. This has created a suitable breeding ground for bacteria, viruses and mosquitoes. In addition, heavy flooding greatly increases the risk of water pollution, which can cause diseases such as cholera and hepatitis A. The Global WASH Cluster adds that increased flooding increases the likelihood of citizens suffering snake bites. It also states that the mental health of displaced people is expected to deteriorate as living conditions become harsher.
In a United Nations (UN) press release issued on September 30, Secretary General Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric stated that 215 learning facilities housing approximately 34,000 children are expected to be seriously damaged by flooding. Hundreds of thousands of Gazans are expected to be internally displaced in the coming rainy season.
Last year’s rainy season was described by health officials as “catastrophic.” Ajith Sunghay, the head of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) for the Occupied Palestinian Territories, described Gaza’s sanitation facilities last year as “uninhabitable”, adding that most displaced people do not have access to clothing or blankets to keep warm. Sunghay highlighted the harsh conditions during the winter months in Gaza, saying he fears many civilians will die and that this time of year is “completely predictable.”
Gaza’s healthcare system is currently ill-equipped to handle the influx of sick and injured people expected to occur in the last quarter of 2024. According to OCHA, there are currently only 17 hospitals that remain partially functional, and all of these are experiencing significant shortages of fuel, medicine and supplies.
It is estimated that around 1.4 million people did not receive their monthly food rations in September due to a lack of supplies. Currently, humanitarian organizations are delivering 600,000 meals a day, despite persistent access challenges. Furthermore, the World Bank estimates that 100 percent of Gazans currently live in poverty.
The Office for the Coordination of Human Affairs (OCHA) warns that further restrictions on humanitarian assistance in critically vulnerable areas will significantly worsen declining public health conditions as aid agencies will be unable to prepare for the upcoming rainy season. The UN and its affiliated organizations have developed a winterization plan in an attempt to alleviate harsh living conditions in Gaza in the last quarter of the year. This plan aims to help more than 850,000 people in almost 50 of the most flood-affected areas.
“$242 million is needed to improve shelter conditions, provide warm clothing and blankets, and divert floodwaters from critical infrastructure and landfills, among other interventions,” Dujarric said. However, OCHA recognizes that these efforts will not be successful unless restrictions are lifted, facilitating easier access between supply depots and displaced persons shelters. The UN is pushing for further donor contributions as living conditions are expected to become tougher in the coming months.
IPS UN agency report
Follow @IPSNewsUNBureau
Follow IPS News UN Bureau on Instagram
© Inter Press Service (2024) — All rights reservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service
