<\/p>\n
14 April 2026<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
CURRENT SITUATION<\/strong><\/p>\n Gaza Strip<\/strong><\/p>\n Throughout 2025, although hostilities were less intense during the two established ceasefires (January-March and October to present), the Gaza Strip experienced catastrophic destruction and continued deterioration of its health system. During the year, local health authorities reported 25 718 deaths and more than 62 852 injuries. Cumulatively, by 31 December 2025, 71 271 people had been killed and 171 233 injured since October 2023. Nearly one quarter of those injured sustained life-altering trauma requiring long-term, specialized physical rehabilitation, placing sustained pressure on an already critically weakened health system. A 2025 WHO analysis of conflict-related traumatic injuries estimates that more than 5000 amputations have occurred since October 2023. Physical rehabilitation capacity remains limited. For example, at Al-Amal Hospital, operated by the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), over 400 patients are on the waiting list for just 90 rehabilitation beds available.<\/p>\n Between October 2023 to December 2025, more than 930 attacks on health care had been documented by WHO, significantly contributing to the degradation of the health system. As of late December 2025, all 36 hospitals had sustained damage, only about half were partially functional, and none were operational in North Gaza. Just 48% of primary health care centres (PHCCs) remained operational. Facilities were forced to operate well beyond capacity amid acute shortages of personnel and critical supplies. By December 2025, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH), 51% of essential medicines were out of stock, severely disrupting key services, including chemotherapy and treatment for blood diseases (66%), primary health care (61%), hemodialysis and renal medicine (46%), emergency and surgical care (40%), maternal and child health (44%), vaccines (42%), and mental health services (28%). Laboratory services were left largely non-functional following the destruction of the central health laboratory and most hospital and primary care-based laboratories, alongside severe shortages of functioning equipment. Extensive bureaucratic process continued to hinder movement at scale of medical supplies into the Gaza Strip. The situation was worsened by ongoing restrictions on the entry of some essential supplies categorized as dual-use. The health information system was severely compromised, undermining routine data collection, disease surveillance, medical record management and timely lifesaving decision-making.<\/p>\n \/…<\/p>\n West Bank<\/strong><\/p>\n In 2025, the West Bank experienced escalating violence marked by intensified military operations, increased settler attacks, demolitions and displacement, particularly in the northern governorates. During the year, the Ministry of Health reported that at least 269 Palestinians were killed and 4081 injured, bringing the cumulative toll since October 2023 to 1104 fatalities and 11 484 injuries. At least 928 attacks on health care facilities, personnel and transport were documented, further constraining service delivery.<\/p>\n In parallel, expanding access restrictions and movement barriers increasingly fragmented the territory, impeding the movement of patients and ambulances and disrupting referral pathways. The Palestinian Authority\u2019s fiscal crisis continued to undermine service delivery in 2025. Only 63% of primary health care centres were partially functional, many operating just one day per week compared to six days prior to 2023. Hospitals and outpatient clinics operated at reduced capacity due to salary disruptions and stockouts of essential medicines. Mental\u00a0 health needs, particularly among children and youth, remained acute.<\/p>\n \/…<\/p>\n LESSONS LEARNED FROM WHO\u2019S 2025 OPERATIONAL RESPONSE<\/strong><\/p>\n Operational resilience<\/strong><\/p>\n Maintaining lifesaving services in high-intensity conflict requires risk-informed leadership and operational redundancy. WHO ensured continuity by prioritizing essential supplies, diversifying logistics corridors, and decentralizing operations, enabling field activities to continue despite asset losses and staff displacement especially during July 2025 military operations.<\/p>\n Strategic leadership and coordination<\/strong><\/p>\n Effective response depends on strategy-driven leadership and field presence. WHO translated an agile operational framework into coordinated action through strong technical engagement, placing health at the centre of the humanitarian response, facilitating Emergency Medical Team deployment, and sustaining transparent partner support despite access constraints.<\/p>\n Public health intelligence and disease control<\/strong><\/p>\n Conflict elevates outbreak risks, demanding rapid surveillance and decisive action. WHO deployed adapted early warning systems and strengthened hospital WASH capacity, reducing the risk of large-scale outbreaks amid disrupted infrastructure.<\/p>\n Early recovery and health system restoration<\/strong><\/p>\n Recovery must run concurrently with emergency response. WHO integrated rehabilitation and reconstruction into planning, linking lifesaving interventions with early system recovery across all levels of care despite widespread infrastructure damage.<\/p>\n Operational security and risk management<\/strong><\/p>\n Sustained presence requires integrating security into operations. WHO embedded security expertise from the onset of hostilities, systematically assessing risks, and coordinating with OCHA, DSS, and partners to maintain access and operational continuity amid extreme volatility.<\/p>\n \/…<\/p>\n LOOKING AHEAD<\/strong><\/p>\n WHO will issue a third operational response plan for 2026, aligned with the UN Flash Appeal (2026) and WHE Appeal (2026). The plan aims to sustain and scale up lifesaving interventions, reduce morbidity and mortality and support health system recovery through a coordinated, accountable health response for the affected population.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 14 April 2026 CURRENT SITUATION Gaza Strip Throughout 2025, although hostilities were less intense during the two established ceasefires (January-March and October to present), the Gaza Strip experienced catastrophic destruction and continued deterioration of its health system. During the year, local health authorities reported 25 718 deaths and more than 62 852 injuries. 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