(MENAFN) Gaza is facing a severe health crisis that could impact "generations to come," according to the director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters that a dramatic increase in humanitarian aid is needed to meet the complex medical and logistical needs of the Strip’s population. Although Israel has allowed more medical supplies and other aid into Gaza since a ceasefire with Hamas began on 10 October, Dr Tedros said the quantities remain far below what is necessary to restore the territory’s healthcare system.

His remarks come as the United States works to reinforce the ceasefire it helped negotiate after renewed violence over the weekend. The White House described the agreement as part of a 20-point peace plan, which includes expanding aid access to Gaza and distributing supplies "without interference" from either side.

Dr Tedros welcomed the ceasefire but said the increase in aid has been smaller than expected.

He described conditions on the ground, saying Gazans have faced famine, "overwhelming" injuries, a collapsed healthcare system, and disease outbreaks caused by the destruction of water and sanitation infrastructure.

"On top of that, [there is] restricted access to humanitarian aid. This is a very fatal combination, so that makes [the situation] catastrophic and beyond words," he said.

Discussing the long-term implications, he added: "If you take the famine and combine it with a mental health problem which we see is rampant, then the situation is a crisis for generations to come."

As stated by reports, Tom Fletcher, head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, noted that aid groups are "turning the tide on the starvation crisis" but stressed that "far more" is required.

The UN World Food Programme said that since 10 October, trucks carrying more than 6,700 tonnes of food have entered Gaza, but this falls short of the 2,000-tonne-per-day target. Dr Tedros explained that around 600 aid trucks need to arrive daily, yet the average is only 200–300. He urged Israeli authorities to "de-link" aid deliveries from the wider conflict.

Israel briefly halted aid deliveries on Sunday following an attack that killed two Israeli troops, though Hamas said it was unaware of the incident. The Israeli military subsequently launched airstrikes in Gaza, resulting in dozens of deaths. Aid shipments resumed the next day after international pressure.

Dr Tedros emphasized that aid should not be "weaponised" and called on Israel to avoid attaching conditions, including demands related to the return of deceased hostages. Hamas has committed to returning the bodies, transferring only 15 of 28 so far. Last week, Hamas released 20 Israeli hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

"There should be full access, there should not be any condition, especially after all the living hostages were released, and a good part of the remains are transferred. I did not expect there would be additional restrictions," Dr Tedros said.

He added that the United States, as the broker of the ceasefire, bears responsibility for ensuring all parties respect the agreement.

Currently, Israel operates two crossings into Gaza—Kerem Shalom in the south-east and Kissufim in the center—but aid groups continue to call for all routes to be opened. Dr Tedros stressed that "all available crossings" are necessary to deliver adequate assistance and requested that previously blocked aid groups be allowed to operate, stating: "You can't have a scaled up response without those who can deliver on the ground."

Some supplies meant for rebuilding Gaza’s health system have reportedly been held at the border due to concerns they could have dual-use military purposes. Dr Tedros explained: "If you are going to build a field hospital, you need the canvas and the pillars [for tents]. So if the pillars are removed, because of an excuse that they could be dual-use, then you can't have a tent."

Thousands of Palestinians are awaiting weekly medical evacuation flights, though none have departed in the past two weeks due to religious holidays in Israel. Dr Tedros said 700 people had died while waiting for such evacuations and called for an increase in flights.

The crisis stems from Israel’s military campaign launched in response to the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attack, which killed around 1,200 people and left 251 hostages. Since then, at least 68,229 Palestinians have reportedly died in Israeli strikes.

In July, a UN-backed body concluded that famine occurred in Gaza, although Israel disputed the findings. The UN estimates that rebuilding Gaza will cost $70 billion, with approximately $7 billion (10%) needed to restore its health system.

Dr Tedros concluded: "We have been saying for a long time that peace is the best medicine.

The ceasefire we have is a very fragile one and some people have died even after the ceasefire because it was broken a couple of times. What is very sad is many people were cheering in the streets because they were very happy there was a peace deal. Imagine, [some of] those same people are dead after they were told the war is over."

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