KUALA LUMPUR: International medical humanitarian organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), or Doctors Without Borders, said countless Palestinians were facing a deepening crisis in Gaza due to the destruction of the healthcare system.
MSF said Palestinians in Gaza are increasingly vulnerable to acute malnutrition, disease outbreaks and mental health deterioration caused by disruption to critical healthcare services.
The already fragile healthcare infrastructure has been severely crippled by the conflict, leaving hospitals inundated and medical staff overwhelmed by the surge in patients seeking treatment.
MSF said the dire living conditions in Rafah, near the border with Egypt, was exacerbated by shortages of clean water and proper sanitation, creating breeding grounds for infectious diseases.
The organisation's medical teams operating in the region are witnessing a staggering increase in consultations for respiratory infections, Hepatitis A, and malnutrition, especially among children under five years old.
MSF emergency programme head Mari-Carmen Viñoles described the grim reality of "silent killings" resulting from untreated illnesses and the lack of access to essential medical care, citing instances of preventable deaths that go unreported amidst the chaos.
"How many children have already died of pneumonia in overwhelmed hospitals? How many babies have died because of preventable diseases?
"What about the deadly consequences of the closure of kidney dialysis units in attacked hospitals?
"These are the silent killings of Gaza not reported in all this chaos, caused by the collapse of the healthcare system across Gaza," she said.
Meanwhile, MSF has faced substantial challenges in bringing medical supplies and humanitarian aid into Gaza due to restrictions by Israeli authorities.
MSF emergency coordinator Sylvain Groulx called for an immediate and sustained ceasefire to prevent further loss of life and facilitate the delivery of vital humanitarian aid to Gaza.
"As an international emergency medical organisation, we have the expertise and the means to do much more and scale up our response.
"Palestinian medical staff are highly skilled and only need to be given the means to work in acceptable and dignified conditions to treat and save lives.
"But today all this remains absurdly impossible. Without an immediate and sustained ceasefire and the entrance of meaningful humanitarian assistance, we will continue to see more people die," he said.
