The World Health Organization said it hoped the Gaza ceasefire would sharply accelerate the pace of aid deliveries to between 500 and 600 trucks per day, from 40 to 50 in recent months, and allow the first steps to be taken towards restoring health services after 15 months of war.
Dr. Rick Pepperkorn, the World Health Organization’s representative in the Palestinian territories, said that “the possibility is very real” if Israel opens the Rafah crossing on Gaza’s southern border with Egypt, which has been closed since May, and other entry points into the north. And the south of the region.
“We will see if the political will exists and the obstacles will be removed and the roads will be opened,” he told reporters on Friday.
The ceasefire agreement announced this week is expected to enter into force on Sunday.
Cairo News, a state-owned Egyptian television channel, reported that hundreds of aid trucks were already lining up in Al-Arish, near the Rafah crossing, most carrying food, tents and other supplies provided by Egypt.
Dr. Pepperkorn said that half of Gaza’s 36 hospitals are not functioning, while others are only partially functioning, and the World Health Organization estimates that more than $10 billion will be needed in the next five to seven years to rehabilitate Gaza’s health system. . But for now, WHO is focusing on meeting critical needs ranging from medicines and trauma care supplies to fuel and spare parts for generators. He added that she also sees repairing broken electricity supplies and broken water and waste management systems as priorities for restoring public health.
Over the next six weeks to two months, WHO also plans to bring ready hospitals and emergency medical teams to support treatment that is no longer available in hospitals severely damaged during the fighting.
Relief agencies are also calling for a significant step-up in medical evacuations for more than 12,000 patients, a third of them children, suffering from serious war-related injuries or chronic diseases for which there is no treatment in Gaza.
The World Health Organization reported that Israel had agreed to evacuate 5,405 patients since the start of the war, but only 29 out of 1,200 patients had applied to be transferred over a one-month period at the end of 2024. It is now looking to resume regular transfers to hospitals in East Jerusalem and Egypt as well as Access to hospitals abroad.
“This is not a logistical problem,” James Elder, spokesman for the UN children’s agency, told reporters. “It’s a problem of intent.”
Rawan Sheikh Ahmed Contributed to reports.