Overview
- The World Health Organization told reporters on May 22 that no hospital in Gaza is fully functional and most health centres are operating only partially, with WHO documenting 22 attacks on health facilities so far in 2026.
- WHO and UN officials say critical items such as oxygen concentrators, laboratory reagents, prosthetic components and a prefabricated hospital have been delayed because Israeli authorities classify some goods as 'dual‑use', and more than 180 pallets of supplies were recently recovered at the Kerem Shalom crossing.
- The United Nations Relief and Works Agency reported over 125,000 cases of skin infections linked to rats and parasites between January and May 2026, a surge that UN agencies tie to widespread overcrowding, ruined sanitation and unreliable water supplies.
- Humanitarian agencies estimate more than 43,000 people require long‑term rehabilitation, including about 10,000 children, but prosthetics, orthopaedic supplies and specialist surgery are scarce or stalled, leaving many unable to receive needed care in Gaza.
- Although a ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10, 2025, UN briefings warn that ongoing violence, damaged water infrastructure (with OCHA saying roughly 98% of available water is unsafe and about 90% of systems damaged) and persistent access restrictions together threaten larger outbreaks and a prolonged public‑health collapse.