Amman, Oct. 8 (Petra) – The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated the cost of rebuilding the health sector in Gaza at more than $7 billion.

WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Hanan Balkhy, said at a press conference on Wednesday that the reconstruction plan includes humanitarian response, early recovery, and long-term needs. She stressed that such an investment is "essential for the peace and stability that health can bring." Balkhy emphasized the importance of moving swiftly, once the fighting stops, from crisis response to recovery, as rebuilding Gaza’s health system would not only save lives today but also "restore dignity, stability, and hope for the future." She said the first step would be to restore hospital operations while simultaneously addressing hunger and malnutrition.

"We are already far behind," she warned, noting that Palestinian health authorities have reported 455 deaths including 151 children, most under the age of five due to malnutrition since January. She added that WHO has remained in Gaza throughout the war, serving as the main provider of medicines and medical supplies, supporting more than 22 million treatments and surgeries.

//Petra// AF