Gaza faces a new threat from antibiotic-resistant diseases.

Washington – Saeed Erekat

The "Lancet Infectious Diseases" journal revealed on Tuesday that Gaza is facing a new threat with the spread of antibiotic-resistant diseases throughout the devastated sector.

Medical supplies have become extremely scarce, with over 150,000 citizens injured during the ongoing 22-month war, while malnutrition has weakened many. Therefore, the rising levels of drug-resistant bacteria mean longer and more severe illnesses, faster transmission of infectious diseases, and more deaths, according to experts based on "Lancet" research.

The results published on Tuesday, in a peer-reviewed research commentary by several specialists in the Lancet Infectious Diseases journal, are the first since the war on Gaza began in October 2023, indicating the spread of multi-drug-resistant bacteria in Gaza.

Kristel Moussa, an epidemiology advisor at Médecins Sans Frontières and co-author of studies on drug-resistant bacteria in Gaza and other conflict areas in the Middle East, told The Guardian (which did not participate in the research): "This means longer and more severe illnesses, an increased risk of transmission to others. It also means a higher risk of death from very common infections. It also means more amputations. It’s a horrific picture."

The study is based on more than 1,300 samples from the Al-Ahli Hospital, which houses one of the few microbiology laboratories still operating in Gaza. Two-thirds of the samples, taken from patients over 10 months last year, showed the presence of multi-drug-resistant bacteria.

Bilal Irfan, one of the study's authors, described the findings to the newspaper as "extremely concerning." Irfan, a bioethics expert conducting research at Brigham Hospital affiliated with Harvard University and the University of Michigan, said: "We don’t even know the true scope of the crisis due to the destruction of almost all laboratories and the deaths of many medical staff, so getting even a simple idea of what is happening in Gaza is crucial."

Gaza has suffered for decades from high levels of multi-drug-resistant bacteria due to repeated conflicts and the Israeli blockade since 2007, when Hamas took control of the sector.

However, experts said the current situation is unprecedented. Not only has the healthcare system in Gaza been destroyed, but sanitation systems have also been devastated, waste disposal has nearly stopped, and hunger has spread widely among Gaza's 2.3 million residents, making many more susceptible to infection.

The World Health Organization said on Tuesday that Israel must allow it to store medical supplies to address the "catastrophic" health situation in Gaza. Rick Peeperkorn, the WHO representative in the Palestinian territories, stated: "We want to store supplies, and we have all heard about allowing more humanitarian supplies in - well, that hasn’t happened yet, or it is happening at a very slow pace."

In a statement from Jerusalem, Peeperkorn said Gaza has run out of more than half of its medicines, and the WHO has been able to introduce fewer supplies than needed "due to complex procedures" and products "that are still banned" from entering - an ongoing negotiation topic with Israeli authorities.

Peeperkorn added that only 50% of hospitals and 38% of primary healthcare centers are functioning partially. Bed occupancy rates have reached 240% at Al-Shifa Hospital and 300% at Al-Ahli Hospital, both in northern Gaza.

He said: "The overall health situation remains catastrophic." "Hunger and malnutrition continue to devastate Gaza."

Israeli occupation authorities claim that more than 45,000 tons of medical equipment have been transferred to Gaza since the beginning of the war, in addition to 13 fully equipped field hospitals established by international relief organizations. Officials stated: "Israel will continue to allow the entry of medical equipment and medicines into the Gaza Strip in accordance with international law and in coordination with the international community, taking all possible measures to prevent the terrorist organization Hamas from seizing and exploiting the aid for terrorist and military purposes."

The Israeli genocide war on Gaza has so far resulted in the deaths of 61,599 Palestinians and injuries to more than 154,000 others since October 7, 2023, according to figures from the Gaza Ministry of Health.

It is noted that three-quarters of the samples studied by Irfan and other researchers in the new study were taken from injured individuals suffering