RAMALLAH, May 21, 2026 (WAFA) – The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean described the devastation to health and human lives in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, as a grave tragedy.
In a statement issued by the WHO Regional Office on Thursday, Dr. Hanan Balkhy, the organization's regional director, said that "since October 2023, more than 72,000 people have been killed and 182,000 others injured," adding that "in 2025 alone, nearly 26,000 additional deaths were reported."
It said that even after the ceasefire in October 2025, the killing of civilians continued, health services remained disrupted, and humanitarian access remained restricted.
It noted that there are currently no fully functioning hospitals in Gaza, emphasizing that no hospitals in northern Gaza are operating at all. It added that more than half of the essential medicines are out of stock, while thousands of patients still require urgent medical evacuation.
It further emphasized that infectious diseases continue to spread amidst overcrowding and deteriorating health conditions, and that mental health needs are immense, while risks to mothers and newborns are rising sharply.
Regarding the West Bank, it confirmed that the situation continues to worsen due to escalating violence and movement restrictions, noting that the Palestinian Authority's financial crisis has severely curtailed healthcare, with public hospitals providing only emergency services.
It explained that the organization and its partners continue to work under extremely harsh conditions, pointing out that the organization had appealed for $648 million to fund the health response in 2025, but has so far received only 75 percent of that amount.
It added that despite these constraints, the organization provided the necessary support to deliver more than 4,000 metric tons of emergency medical supplies to Gaza and facilitated the delivery of fuel that has kept the health system functioning. Meanwhile, in the West Bank, it continued to expand emergency care and treatment for the injured.
The regional director stressed that political statements alone are insufficient to sustain humanitarian operations, calling for the protection of healthcare, the continued delivery of humanitarian aid, and the lifting of restrictions hindering the arrival of essential medical supplies and emergency medical teams.
It also called for continued international support to restore and expand health services, reduce reliance on medical evacuations, and reopen referral routes from the West Bank.
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