WHO Warns of Health Crisis in Gaza as Rainy Season Approaches

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning regarding the worsening public health crisis in the Gaza Strip as the winter season approaches. Recent water quality tests indicate a significant decline in water quality, with a surge in diarrhea cases reported. The WHO noted that the impending rainy season could exacerbate the existing health issues. Reinhilde Van de Weerdt, the WHO’s representative in the Palestinian territories, stated that the lack of adequate water supply and contamination are major concerns. She highlighted that potential flooding from winter rains could lead to sewage and contaminated water entering living areas. Testing of approximately 6,700 water samples over the first eight months of 2026 showed that microbiological contamination increased from under six percent in January to over 18 percent in August. Cases of acute diarrhea have nearly doubled since March, rising from around 27,000 to over 48,000. Van de Weerdt emphasized the need for urgent humanitarian supplies to prevent a public health disaster, including materials for shelter and sustainable water and waste management. She also called for more laboratory supplies to help identify disease causes and improve outbreak responses. Additionally, Doctors Without Borders has previously stated that Israel has used water access as a weapon in Gaza, citing data indicating that nearly 90 percent of water and sanitation infrastructure has been destroyed or damaged.