WHO calls for immediate ceasefire in Gaza as thousands face severe injuries, amputations
M. Waqar Bhatti:
Islamabad: In the midst of ongoing conflict and devastation in Gaza, at least 22,500 people are suffering from life-changing injuries, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Thursday, estimating that between 13,455 and 17,550 people have sustained severe limb injuries, with 3,105 to 4,050 requiring amputations.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, meanwhile, reported that the death toll from Israeli aggression has now risen to 41,118 martyrs, with 95,125 others wounded since hostilities escalated in October 2023.
According to Dr. Richard Peeperkorn, WHO Representative for the occupied Palestinian territory, these individuals, many of whom have lost limbs, homes, and loved ones, are in desperate need of rehabilitation services, which remain largely unavailable.
Speaking at a news briefing alongside Pete Skelton, WHO Rehabilitation in Emergencies Advisor, Dr. Thanos Gargavanis, WHO Trauma Surgeon and Emergency Officer, and Dr. Deepak Kumar, WHO Technical Officer, Dr. Peeperkorn painted a grim picture of Gaza’s collapsing health system.
Out of 36 hospitals in Gaza, only 17 are partially functional, while critical rehabilitation centres have ceased operations. Gaza’s only limb reconstruction and rehabilitation centre, located at the Nasser Medical Complex, became non-functional in December 2023 due to severe shortages of supplies and the displacement of staff. The situation worsened in February 2024 when the centre was damaged in a raid.
Other rehabilitation units, including Al Amal, Sheikh Hammad, and Al Wafaa, are not operational, and only limited prosthetic services remain.
“The vast unmet rehabilitation needs in Gaza, particularly for those with traumatic injuries, are a crisis within a crisis,” Dr. Peeperkorn stressed. Despite ongoing efforts by the WHO to provide assistance, insecurity, restricted access, and depleted resources have severely limited their operations. WHO supply monitoring indicates that only 13% of the assistive products needed for injured individuals have been met.
The lack of supplies and equipment has compounded the suffering of those displaced, many of whom are forced to live in overcrowded homes or tents, with little to no access to essential healthcare.
WHO’s analysis, based on injury data from Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs) operating in Gaza, shows that EMTs have become an integral part of the Gaza health system. Since the conflict began, EMTs have conducted nearly 1.5 million consultations.
However, despite these efforts, the overwhelming number of trauma-related injuries far exceeds the capacity of local services. Thousands of people are being displaced repeatedly, living in precarious conditions without the care they need.
In addition to its rehabilitation efforts, the WHO has been involved in a large-scale polio vaccination campaign, which has so far reached over 552,000 children across Gaza. However, significant operational challenges have hindered progress, with delays in fuel transport and difficulties in accessing insecure areas.
On 11 September, in collaboration with the UAE, WHO facilitated the medical evacuation of 97 severely ill and injured patients from Gaza to Abu Dhabi for urgent care, marking the largest evacuation since the conflict escalated in October 2023. The patients, including 45 children, suffer from a range of conditions, including trauma, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and congenital anomalies.
WHO teams worked under immense pressure to prepare European Gaza Hospital for the evacuation, ensuring essential supplies were available and infrastructure was repaired in time for the transfer. Extensive preparations included securing beds and mattresses, repairing electrical connections and plumbing, and establishing emergency medical coverage. Patients were transferred through multiple security checks before their final evacuation to Abu Dhabi.
Since 7 May, WHO has evacuated 122 individuals from Gaza in need of critical medical treatment, offering them a lifeline they would not have had otherwise.
Dr. Peeperkorn reiterated the urgent need for a humanitarian ceasefire, calling on all parties to halt hostilities and allow for the safe delivery of much-needed medical aid.
In the latest escalation, the Israeli occupation has committed three massacres in Gaza within the past 24 hours, resulting in 34 martyrs and 96 injuries, according to Gaza’s health authorities. Many victims remain trapped under the rubble, with ambulance and civil defense crews unable to reach them due to the ongoing violence.
