The health system in the besieged Gaza Strip is "at a breaking point," the World Health Organization (WHO) warned Thursday.
"Time is running out to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe if fuel and life-saving health and humanitarian supplies cannot be urgently delivered to the Gaza Strip amidst the complete blockade," the agency said in a statement.
"Hospitals have only a few hours of electricity each day as they are forced to ration depleting fuel reserves and rely on generators to sustain the most critical functions," it said. "Even these functions will have to cease in a few days, when fuel stocks are due to run out."
Noting that the impact would be devastating for the most vulnerable patients, including the injured who need lifesaving surgery, the statement said: "As injuries and fatalities continue to rise due to the ongoing airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, acute shortages of medical supplies are compounding the crisis, limiting the response capacity of already overstretched hospitals to treat the sick and injured."
The WHO said it has "documented 34 attacks on healthcare in Gaza since last Saturday that have resulted in the deaths of 11 health workers on duty, 16 injuries, and damage to 19 health facilities and 20 ambulances."
"Without the immediate entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza — especially health services, medical supplies, food, clean water, fuel and non-food items — humanitarian and health partners will be unable to respond to urgent needs of people who desperately need it. Each lost hour puts more lives at risk," it added.
The agency said it is "ready to immediately dispatch trauma and essential health supplies through its logistics hub in Dubai and is working with partners to ensure that they can reach the Gaza Strip via the Rafah border crossing."
The number of Palestinians killed from Israeli attacks on the besieged Gaza Strip has risen to 1,537, the Health Ministry in Gaza announced Thursday. The statement noted that the dead included 500 children and 276 women, with 6,612 people injured.
In a dramatic escalation of Middle East tensions, Israeli forces launched a sustained and forceful military campaign against the Gaza Strip in response to the military offensive by Hamas.
The conflict began on Saturday when Hamas initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel, a multi-pronged surprise attack that included a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel via land, sea and air.
Hamas said the operation was in retaliation for the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and Israeli settlers' growing violence against Palestinians.
The Israeli military then launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets within the Gaza Strip. Israel's response has extended into cutting water and electricity supplies to Gaza, further worsening living conditions in an area that has reeled under a crippling siege since 2007.
