Gaza's Health Crisis: Infectious Diseases Spread Amid Collapsing System
Infectious diseases are spreading rapidly in the Gaza Strip due to cold weather, overcrowding in shelters, scarce food, dirty water, and limited access to medicine. The collapse of the health system has made it difficult to track the exact number of cases, but the World Health Organization has reported at least 369,000 cases of infectious diseases since the war began, with respiratory infections being the most common. Hospitals are overwhelmed with patients injured in airstrikes, leaving little treatment options for those who become ill. The dire living conditions in Gaza pose grave risks, especially for children, older adults, and the immunocompromised. Aid organizations have called for increased humanitarian aid to address the crisis.