UNRWA: Famine, disease deaths in Gaza far higher than reported

Adnan Abu Hasna, media adviser to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), said that the number of deaths caused by disease and hunger in Gaza is far higher than what the Ministry of Health reports.

Abu Hasna explained that many sick and starving people die quietly and are buried in or around tents without being recorded.

He noted that the official figures only cover those who reach hospitals and clinics, while UNRWA’s data shows unregistered deaths, stressing that the actual toll is “much higher than reported.”

The UN official warned that the rate of deaths is accelerating as both the health and humanitarian systems in Gaza collapse. He also pointed out that the spread of disease is “cross-border” and could reach the “Israeli” side.

Abu Hasna said that Palestinians’ bodies have lost their ability to resist illness due to weakened immunity.

He added that dangerous viruses and bacteria are spreading in Gaza, which could cause death or paralysis, alongside the return of diseases that had previously been eradicated, such as meningitis, and the spread of hepatitis amid famine.

The UNRWA official explained that the sector is also experiencing a severe psychological crisis, as hundreds of thousands suffer from mental and psychological disorders due to the blockade and war, exacerbating the collapse of vital systems for the population.