Some of the UK’s first charity workers entered Gaza earlier this week, spending three days assessing the situation in Rafah.
Describing their findings, staff from Humanity First UK have warned of a looming famine, untenable conditions and the spread of diseases.
Chairman of the charity, Aziz Hafiz, said it was “difficult to describe” the horror of the public health catastrophe in the region.
“As a GP myself, it’s incredibly frustrating and upsetting to see so many people suffer from infections, skin conditions and injuries, without access to the most basic painkillers, antibiotics and dressings,” he said
“Food supplies are extremely limited and famine looms, especially in North Gaza, and as the winter draws in the internally displaced people (IDPs) face starvation and disease.”
The charity said it has established a number of infrastructure projects in the region in recent years, including water desalination plants and rooftop gardens.
But Osman Dean, head of emergency medical teams, said the situation is becoming “untenable” and the scenes are “harrowing”.
” In just the first few hours of visiting the multiple informal campsites, it was horrific to observe the plight of the internally displaced people,” he said.
“I was in complete shock, and my heart wept for the people of Gaza. No human being should be subjected to such suffering.
Just over two million people live in the Gaza, which has been under the control of Hamas since 2007. The region is about 25 miles long and six miles wide, bordered by the Mediterranean Sea, Israel and Egypt.