The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has issued a warning about the deteriorating health situation in Gaza, highlighting the increased risk of infectious disease outbreaks amid ongoing conflict. According to the IRC and its partners, Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure has been severely weakened, with many hospitals no longer fully operational, leaving the population vulnerable to a range of diseases.

Dr. Seema Jilani, the IRC’s senior health technical adviser for emergencies, emphasized that Gaza’s healthcare system, once robust, has been decimated by recent hostilities. The remaining medical facilities are struggling to manage the mounting demand as famine, malnutrition, and infectious diseases threaten the civilian population. Jilani noted that, despite the absence of widespread epidemics in recent years, the current conditions have created a breeding ground for illnesses including influenza, COVID-19, pneumonia, bacterial dysentery, cholera, polio, measles, and meningitis.

Projections from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the Johns Hopkins Center for Humanitarian Health suggest that even with an immediate ceasefire, nearly 12,000 deaths could occur due to disease in Gaza. These models underscore the urgency for both an end to hostilities and unrestricted access for humanitarian aid.

The IRC has called for a ceasefire to alleviate the escalating health crisis and has stressed the importance of enabling aid organizations to operate without hindrance. The group warns that without immediate intervention, the public health system in Gaza faces the risk of total collapse, further endangering the lives of the region’s residents.