The World Health Organization (WHO) has delivered its first medical aid shipment to the Gaza Strip since March 2, a critical step in addressing the territory's collapsing public health system.

On June 25, nine trucks carrying essential medical supplies, including 2,000 units of blood and 1,500 units of plasma, crossed into Gaza via the Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel, marking the first non-food humanitarian aid delivery in over three months.

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the delivery on X, calling it “a drop in the ocean” compared to the immense need. He urged for sustained humanitarian access to save lives, as Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure teeters on the brink of collapse due to a near-total blockade imposed by Israel since March. While limited food deliveries resumed in May, this shipment represents a rare breakthrough for medical aid.

The supplies are being prioritized for hospitals like the Nasser Medical Complex, where blood and plasma are now stored for use in treating injuries, many stemming from violence at food distribution sites. Four additional WHO trucks await entry at the border, with more en route, but the organization warns that far greater aid volumes are needed to address the crisis.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported a surge in disease outbreaks, including over 19,000 cases of acute watery diarrhea, 200 cases of acute jaundice syndrome, and 200 cases of bloody diarrhea in the past two weeks. These outbreaks are fueled by shortages of clean water, sanitation, and medical resources.

OCHA has called for urgent improvements in humanitarian access, including increased fuel, medical supplies, and water sanitation resources, as well as the opening of multiple crossings to ensure safe and equitable aid distribution and curb looting driven by desperation.

The international community continues to press Israel for immediate and unimpeded delivery of health aid through all available routes to avert further deterioration of Gaza’s humanitarian crisis. (ILKHA)