UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) expressed cautious optimism on Friday regarding a potential increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza following the ceasefire deal between Israel’s security cabinet and Hamas.

Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, WHO’s representative in the occupied Palestinian territories (OPT), stated that “The target is to get between 500 and 600 trucks in per day over the coming weeks,” a dramatic rise from the 40 to 50 trucks arriving daily in recent months. This surge would bring aid levels back to those seen before the war began in October 2023.

Despite this hopeful development, Dr. Peeperkorn stressed the immense challenges that remain. Chronic shortages of food, fuel, and medical supplies persist, and urgent measures are needed to address them.

WHO plans to begin deliveries by Sunday, with temporary prefabricated clinics and hospitals set up to enhance existing healthcare facilities and address urgent health needs.

“We have ordered temporary prefabricated clinics and hospitals which we will integrate into the existing facilities…integrating existing health facilities as part of that, to expand some needed bed capacity, address urgent health needs and health service delivery.”

Humanitarian agencies have repeatedly warned that Gaza’s crisis has reached catastrophic proportions, with over 46,000 fatalities and more than 110,000 injuries since October 2023.

The risk of disease spread and famine is high, and over 12,000 patients, including a significant number of children, are still waiting for evacuation for specialized care. However, evacuations have been slow, with only 29 of 1,200 requests for evacuations approved between November and December 2024.

In the face of these challenges, WHO plans a 60-day emergency health response to scale up medical efforts, restore essential services, combat malnutrition, and provide critical medical supplies.

The agency has emphasized the urgent need for fuel, spare parts for hospital generators, and resources to address Gaza’s shattered healthcare system. More than $10 billion is required to rebuild Gaza’s health infrastructure, and WHO warns that continued international support is essential to prevent further loss of life.

As international agencies continue their work in hazardous conditions, they remain hopeful that the ceasefire will provide a lifeline to the civilians suffering in Gaza.