The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on October 2 of repeated delays to humanitarian aid entering Gaza through Israel. It also reported chronic shortages of medical supplies, with incoming aid insufficient to restore and expand health services.

The WHO representative in the Palestinian territories described Gaza’s health situation as catastrophic. Speaking from Jerusalem to journalists in Geneva, the representative said none of the territory’s hospitals was operating at full capacity.

Medical supplies face lengthy approval waits

The representative identified Israel’s approval system as a major obstacle to bringing in medical and other humanitarian supplies. The process was time-consuming, offered no guaranteed outcome and changed as new rules were introduced.

According to the latest WHO analysis, large quantities of medical supplies had been waiting an average of 74 days for entry approval. If permission was not granted, the lengthy application process had to begin again. The total volume of supplies awaiting approval was not specified.

Commonly used medical supplies were among the items with the lowest approval rates, the representative said. X-ray machines, sterilization equipment and spare parts for CT scanners were repeatedly rejected, along with other essential equipment.

One shipment of prosthetic limbs and assistive devices had been rejected four times over the preceding six months. Medicines were entering more readily: about 87% were approved, while 1% were rejected, according to the representative.

WHO calls for more crossings and clearer rules

The WHO called for regular, large-scale entry of humanitarian and medical supplies without obstruction. Its representative urged Israel to ease restrictions on medical supplies, open more crossings and publish clear guidance on procedures and requirements.

The representative said the number of trucks crossing the border did not reliably show whether residents’ health needs were being met. Supplies that were not priorities, or appropriate supplies arriving too late, did not save lives.

Israel cites possible military uses

Israel says it prevents the entry of materials that could have military uses. It also accuses Hamas of preparing further attacks following the group’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

That attack killed 1,221 people, according to a tally by the news agency Agence France-Presse based on official Israeli figures. The war Israel launched in response has killed more than 74,000 people, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.