Shibbir Ahmed, New York — Humanitarian conditions in Gaza remain severe as shortages of medical supplies, damaged infrastructure and obstacles to reconstruction continue to challenge efforts to restore essential services.
The United Nations and its humanitarian agencies have repeatedly warned that Gaza’s health system remains under enormous pressure. In a UN Geneva briefing earlier this month, the World Health Organization said that no hospital in Gaza was fully functional, citing chronic shortages of medicines and medical equipment.
WHO said medical supplies can face lengthy approval procedures before entering Gaza. According to the agency, medical shipments had waited a median of 74 days for approval, while some equipment had been repeatedly rejected or delayed.
The consequences extend beyond hospitals. Without adequate diagnostic equipment and laboratory supplies, health authorities face greater difficulty identifying and responding to disease outbreaks. The humanitarian situation is also tied closely to the enormous scale of physical destruction.
A recent UN Trade and Development assessment estimated that Gaza’s recovery and reconstruction needs have reached approximately $71.5 billion. The assessment, based on work by the World Bank, European Union and United Nations, estimated physical infrastructure damage at $35.2 billion and economic and social losses at $22.7 billion as of early 2026.
Housing represents the largest category of damage and reconstruction needs. Educational and healthcare facilities have also suffered extensive damage, with more than half of hospitals and primary healthcare clinics reported as non-functional in the assessment.
Agriculture has been severely affected as well. UNCTAD reported that less than 1.5% of Gaza’s cropland remained accessible and undamaged, increasing dependence on humanitarian food assistance.
The humanitarian crisis is unfolding alongside continuing political disputes over Gaza’s future, security arrangements, disarmament and reconstruction.
A Washington Post report published Thursday said reconstruction remains largely stalled despite a U.S.-backed framework, citing disagreements over implementation and security arrangements. The report said hundreds of thousands of Palestinians continue to live amid extensive destruction and inadequate infrastructure.
For international aid agencies, the challenge is therefore twofold: providing immediate assistance while establishing conditions that allow Gaza’s basic infrastructure and economy to recover.
UNCTAD said large-scale international financial and technical assistance will be required for recovery. It identified rebuilding agriculture, industry, construction, energy and technology as important elements of longer-term economic recovery.
The UN’s humanitarian agencies continue to call for predictable and sufficient access for medical and humanitarian supplies, warning that the scale of need remains far greater than current response capacity.
