The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that Israel is enduring a profound health crisis that began after the devastating terrorist attacks launched from the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023.
“This Monday marks one year of collective trauma that has spared no one in the country,” said WHO’s Israel representative, Michel Thieren, during a press briefing on Friday.
Thieren emphasized the rapid escalation of mental health needs, stating, “The impact has spread at pandemic speed, doubling and in some areas tripling the demand for mental health care services.”
The initial wave of violence resulted in the deaths of over 1,200 people and displaced at least 75,000 others, many of whom remain unable to return to their homes. The violence included the abduction of around 200 hostages taken to Gaza and the launch of roughly 19,000 rockets into Israel since the attacks began.
According to Thieren, the healthcare system in northern Israel has been severely affected. “Hospitals are operating out of basements, shelters, and even car parks,” he explained. “A patient without daylight is a patient without the natural strength to heal.”
Thieren also underscored the need for peace and the release of the 101 hostages still being held by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, warning that true healing would remain elusive without these steps.
