The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that infectious diseases are “spiraling out of control”, with only 13 of the territory’s 36 hospitals even partially functioning.

“Whether meningitis … diarrhea, respiratory illnesses, we’re talking about a mammoth amount of work,” Hanan Balkhy, regional director for the UN health body, told AFP in Cairo.

In a separate update, the WHO in occupied Palestinian territory (WHOoPt), said on Thursday, via social media, that it had been scaling up deliveries of medical supplies to health facilities since the Gaza ceasefire came into effect.

WHOoPT wrote on X: This week, more than 220 pallets of essential medicines and medical supplies were dispatched from our southern warehouse for partners supporting hospitals across Gaza.