In the early hours of 7 October 2023, Palestinian militants launched al-Aqsa Deluge, a multi-pronged attack on Israel, including Israeli border towns ringing the Gaza Strip and beyond. By mid-morning the same day, Israeli aircrafts had launched strikes on hundreds of targets in Gaza Strip. The next day, Israel’s security cabinet approved a formal declaration of war for the first time in half a century.

SUMMARY OF CRISIS AND KEY FINDINGS

The recent escalation of hostilities in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) is taking a heavy toll on civilians. Thousands have been killed or injured, and over 1.4 million people have been displaced. There have been 171 attacks on health care in oPt leading to 493 deaths and 387 injuries, with 56 attacks impacting health facilities and 130 impacting health personnel, as of 24 October 2023.

12 December 2023 – Cairo, Geneva, Jerusalem, WHO reiterates its call for the protection of health care and humanitarian assistance in Gaza, following military checkpoint delays and detention of health partners during a mission to transfer critically-ill patients and deliver supplies to a hospital in northern Gaza. During the mission, a patient reportedly died. 

The overall aim of this plan to is provide an emergency health response for the population that reduces mortality and morbidity during the current escalation of hostilities. The WHO operational response plan is part of and fully aligned with the overall 90 days Flash Appeal, in particular with the Health Cluster component.