The war in Gaza has been “catastrophic” for health care there, the head of the World Health Organization told an emergency session of the agency’s executive board.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the W.H.O.’s director general, said only 14 of the Gaza Strip’s 36 hospitals were even partially able to treat the sick and injured.
“Gaza’s health system is on its knees and collapsing,” he told the board.
Dr. Tedros warned that disease was spreading among the 1.9 million Gazans forced from their homes by the fighting — and would probably get worse because of overcrowding in areas where civilians are seeking shelter. At least 20,000 Gazans were in need of acute psychiatric care, he added, and many more were expected to suffer severe trauma from the weeks of conflict.
A United Nations vote demanding a permanent cease-fire in Gaza failed last week because the United States cast the sole vote against it.