Update on the challenged lifelines in Gaza – WHO & OHCHR

UN Geneva Press Briefing

04 July 2025

Rik Peeperkorn, World Health Organization Representative in the occupied Palestinian territory, said the senseless killing in Gaza must stop. Multiple attacks in recent days hitting sites hosting hungry displaced people and people trying to access food had killed and injured scores of Palestinians. Since October 2023, an estimated 90 people had been killed daily on average, and more than 200 injured. The health system in Gaza was on its knees amid shortages of medical supplies, fuel and an influx of injuries. No fuel had entered Gaza in over 120 days. WHO currently had minimal fuel reserves in northern and southern Gaza, barely enough to keep 17 partially functional hospitals running for a short period. A limited quantity of UN fuel reserves were in an area that was currently inaccessible.

This week WHO representatives had visited Shifa and Nasser hospitals. The lack of fuel was crippling Shifa Hospital, compounded by a stream of never-ending injuries. The hospital was operating at minimum capacity and had been forced to reduce services to preserve fuel for critical care. The hospital was overwhelmed and severely under-resourced. Beds were full, and patients were once again being treated on the floor. There were 13 patients in the ICU dependent on life support, which would be cut off if power ran out. Hundreds of patients were coming in daily, the majority of whom had a combination of multiple injuries, draining limited resources at a fast rate. The Nasser medical complex was overflowing with patients, with daily injuries in tens and hundreds coming from so-called safe non-UN food distribution sites. The hospital was operating as a massive trauma ward, going from 300 beds to supporting 700 patients amid limited resources and fuel. The hospitals were constantly making the difficult choice to deprioritise patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiac conditions, in order to save lives in the emergency rooms and operating theatres. This would have a long-term impact and cause a wave of preventable deaths and unnecessary suffering. Nasser Hospital remained close to the evacuation zone, and it must be protected.

There had been a rise in meningitis cases in children; mostly viral with some bacterial as well. Typically, in the June to August period, there was a notable rise in viral meningitis registered every year, however, this year there was an increase in cases compared to this time in previous years. Hospitals did not have tests available to differentiate between viral and bacterial meningitis, risking delayed or incorrect treatment, putting more lives at risk and straining already limited resources.

On 2 July, after three weeks of no medical evacuations, WHO evacuated 19 child patients and 39 companions to Jordan, and 4 patients and 7 companions to Türkiye. During the evacuation, strikes near the convoy damaged the bus, ambulances and vehicles transporting the patients, their companions, and WHO staff. No injuries were reported, but the incident was distressing for the patients and families. Since 18 March 2025, only seven medical evacuations had taken place. More than 10,000 people in Gaza still needed medical evacuation.

WHO needed routes to open. The supply routes also needed to open. There were urgent needs for anaesthesia, cultures, and lab supplies.

Everybody knew what was needed, Dr. Peeperkorn concluded. Gaza needed to be flooded with food: this would stop the mass casualty incidents, it would also stop the fighting for food, the desperate violence. Flood the markets with food, make sure that wash and water was supplied, make sure there was essential medicine, medical supplies and, of course, a regular supply of fuel, he urged. The ceasefire was really needed, and it must happen, and happen now.

Mr. Gómez added that these points had been echoed by the United Nations Secretary-General in a statement issued yesterday, in response to the deepening humanitarian crisis, in particular the recent multiple attacks hitting sites hosting displaced people, and the relocation of nearly 30,000 people in just one day this week.

Responding to a question, Dr. Peeperkorn said it was difficult for hospitals to make the difference between viral and bacterial meningitis, as they lacked the supplies. There were approximately 300 cases. It was very difficult to get data from hospitals in the situation, but there appeared to more of an increase than in previous years. Injuries seen in Nasser were all confirmed by health workers and families that they came from the so-called “safe” non-United Nations food distribution areas. Gaza needed to be flooded with food to stop the scramble from desperate people and even organised people trying to get their hands on the food. What was seen from this crisis constantly was that every time the situation got a little better, there was a squeeze, a blockade or such, making it harder for the United Nations and others to distribute food, and the situation, which was already disastrous, moved beyond being disastrous. Desperate people made disastrous decisions, with young boys being sent to get food and being killed or maimed for the sake of one bag of flour. A majority of the cases being reported were all related to the so-called safe non-United Nations food distribution sites. This could all be stopped if the market was flooded with food.

Responding to a number of questions from journalists on the situation at sites specifically related to and operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), Dr. Peeperkorn stated that the WHO team was not at these so-called safe distribution sites; it witnessed the consequences and got reports from the patients and their families and friends, and from these reports, could say that the majority of these injuries were related to the so-called non-United Nations food distribution sites run by the GHF. However, he could not provide exact figures and could only give the figures derived from the reports made to the WHO. He also noted that there were mass casualty events linked to all trucks coming into Gaza, as there were limited food supplies with just a trickle coming in. Any supplies that came in attracted hundreds of mainly young boys and men would flood them.

Mr. Gómez noted that the GHF deliveries did not meet the basic standards needed for humanitarian delivery, nor the high standard the United Nations would require in line with international law. The humanitarian teams in Gaza needed to coordinate their efforts with the Israeli authorities. During the month of June, out of nearly 400 such coordination attempts, 44% were outright denied by the Israeli authorities. Another 10% were initially accepted but faced impediments. It was very complex situation.

On a question regarding exactly who was shooting at people at the non-United Nations food delivery sites, Dr. Peeperkorn said the WHO was not at the sites and did not know who was shooting, and only saw the results, which were clear, graphic and horrific. WHO was trying to analyse and monitor to see who was responsible. Mr. Gómez added to this that if there were more eyes and ears on the ground, credible reports could be made. What was needed was a ceasefire, accountability, justice, and the return of hostages. All these things could be done. The United Nations had been pleading for these for months.

Ravina Shamdasani, speaking for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the Office had recorded 613 killings, both at GHF points and near humanitarian convoys as of the 27th of June, since which there had been further incidents, and were probably an undercount. Colleagues had pointed out the challenges of verifying information because the Office didn’t have eyes and ears on the ground, however, it was doing what it could to try to verify these figures, but perhaps it would never be possible to grasp the full scale of what’s happening here because of the lack of access. On who was responsible, it was clear that the Israeli military had shelled and shot at Palestinians trying to reach the distribution points. There must be an investigation, there must be access, there must be an independent inquiry and accountability for these killings.

Regarding a question on the killing of Marwan al Sultan, Director of Indonesian hospital in Gaza, and his children and wife, Dr. Peeperkorn expressed WHO’s condolences to his family and staff, noting that he was a great human being and a great medical doctor. Of course, these killings had an impact, but health workers would often move on to other health centres and assist. However, there was an impact on the number of health workers. A disproportionate number of health staff, particularly EMTs, were denied entry to Gaza by the Israeli authorities.