The thousands of injuries sustained by civilians across Gaza combined with a burgeoning public health crisis is a 'recipe for epidemics', the World Health Organization's emergency response director said on Monday.
WHO's Dr. Mike Ryan was briefing journalists at UN Headquarters and added that "so many children" remain in danger, as fighting between Palestinian militants and Israeli forces continues, from hostages to those living under bombardment with no safe place to shelter.
Up to 1,500 children in Gaza remain missing - many likely under rubble - he said, as the health system faces "extreme pressure".
He said following the evacuation of many patients at the largest hospital, Al Shifa over the weekend, health staff remaining at Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza may also need to be evacuated in the next few days amid continued fighting there.
The ultimatum from Israeli forces to keep moving is creating a concentration of people in UNRWA centres and schools, that "fuels epidemic risks" he added, and combined with cold rain recently, will lead to a spike in child pneumonia, Dr. Ryan warned.
Before long the public health risks will be as grave as those faced with injuries that are going untreated with water, food and fuel so scarce.
All of this adds up to a 'recipe for epidemics' while calorific intake is now below the "critical level" needed for the immune system to stay healthy, Dr. Ryan added.
