UNICEF has issued a stark alert that Gaza faces a humanitarian disaster with decades-long repercussions if immediate action is not taken to halt the collapse of its healthcare system. Spokesperson Kazem Abu Khalaf described medical teams operating in near-impossible conditions—battling severe shortages of medicines, power blackouts, and crippling fuel shortages that leave lifesaving equipment idle.  

In a statement published Saturday, Abu Khalaf stressed that the UN is not demanding "the impossible," but rather the bare minimum required under international law: protection of civilians' right to healthcare, survival, and freedom of movement. "If Gaza is left in this state," he warned, "we are confronting a catastrophe whose scars will linger for generations."  

The situation is particularly dire for critically ill patients, with children, women, and the elderly dying daily due to the near-total breakdown of medical services. Abu Khalaf stressed that aid deliveries alone cannot reverse the devastation—what is needed is a long-term strategy to rebuild Gaza’s shattered economy, ensure border crossings remain open for vital supplies, and restore basic infrastructure.  

Before the war, Gaza had 36 functioning hospitals; now, only 18 remain partially operational, most at less than half capacity. Over 10,500 injured Palestinians require urgent evacuation for treatment abroad, yet Israel’s restrictions allow just two medical transfers per day. At this rate, Abu Khalaf noted, it would take **more than 13 years** to evacuate all current cases—time that the wounded do not have.  

With hospitals bombed, supplies blocked, and the health system in ruins, Gaza’s people face not only the trauma of war but a looming epidemic of preventable deaths. Without an immediate ceasefire, sustained aid access, and a commitment to reconstruction, UNICEF’s warning may soon become an irreversible reality.