Gaza health authorities report hepatitis & meningitis
Gaza’s Health Ministry reported the outbreaks of meningitis and hepatitis on April 24th — specifically among displaced Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the Middle East Monitor and agencies report.
The Ministry statement revealed that the outbreaks are likely due to sewage overflow and a lack of clean water in refugee camps. “This threatens to cause a health catastrophe, especially among children,” they said.
The Ministry appealed to UN agencies and humanitarian organisations to urgently intervene.
After six months of the Israel-Hamas war, much of Gaza lay in ruins.
On April 1st, Israel pulled out of the heavily besieged Al-Shifa hospital after a two week offensive in which the Ministry reported that at least 400 Palestinians had died.
READ: Independent report contradicts Israeli claims about UNRWA
Nonetheless, satellite imagery obtained by Al-Jazeera shows evidence that Israel plans to continue with ramped-up offensive action in Gaza, showing a series of military vehicles just 5 kilometres from the territory’s border.
Additionally, 85 per cent of the enclave’s population has been internally displaced and short of food, clean water and medicine, according to the UN. Israel has been repeatedly accused of intentionally blocking aid deliveries as the Gazan population actively faces the possibility of famine.
Since March 22nd, the World Bank has urged that a famine is likely to occur by May. “The situation in the Gaza Strip has reached catastrophic levels,” the food security report read.
On April 23rd, the Pentagon announced that the US is planning to construct a pier to Gaza “very soon” to allow for a consistent flow of aid to the besieged Strip.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) accused Israel of genocide, issuing an interim ruling in January that ordered the end of genocidal acts and taking measures to guarantee humanitarian assistance to Gazans.
The Middle East Monitor and agencies