GAZA, November 8, 2025 (WAFA) – The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) have warned of an increasingly catastrophic health and humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip amid ongoing closure of border crossings, continued siege, and the approaching winter.

WHO said that approximately 16,500 patients in Gaza are waiting for medical evacuation to receive treatment outside the besieged strip. The organization stated that medical supplies are ready and positioned at the border but remain blocked from entering due to the continued closure of crossings.

The agency called for the urgent reopening of the Rafah crossing and all other crossings, emphasizing that Rafah is the only viable route for medical evacuations and a critical entry point for life-saving medical supplies. WHO urged the international community to ensure unrestricted aid access and to enable more countries to receive patients for treatment.

Meanwhile, OCHA reported that hundreds of thousands of displaced families in Gaza are facing the beginning of winter without adequate shelter or basic protection from cold and rain. The office said that only 4% of Gaza’s agricultural land remains accessible and cultivable, due to extensive destruction caused by ongoing Israeli attacks, further increasing the risk of hunger.

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