UNRWA warns of a record spread of diseases in Gaza due to cold and lack of vaccines
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The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) warned of record levels of disease outbreaks in the Gaza Strip due to cold waves and the denial of vaccinations to children, amid the near-total collapse of the health system as a result of the ongoing Israeli blockade and the prevention of the entry of essential aid, including medical supplies.
In a statement issued Monday, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini noted that “in the midst of more than two years of war in the Gaza Strip, children have been repeatedly denied the vaccinations necessary to protect them from preventable diseases.”
Regarding the current situation in Gaza, the UN official said that “the harsh winter weather is gripping Gaza, with its extreme cold, heavy rains, and flooding, exacerbating the risk of disease outbreaks, which have already reached record levels in the Strip,” according to the Anadolu Agency.
He explained that “the poor water and sanitation conditions in the overcrowded shelters and the collapse of the health system are contributing factors to the spread of diseases in the Strip.”
He noted that UNRWA teams, in cooperation with UNICEF, the World Health Organization, and local partners, began the second round of a catch-up vaccination campaign yesterday (Sunday) for children under three years old who missed essential vaccinations during the two years of the genocidal war waged by Israel.
The Gaza Strip is facing a worsening humanitarian crisis, particularly after forecasts of a new weather system bringing rain and thunderstorms between Monday and Wednesday, amid warnings of the risk of flash floods in low-lying areas.
