GAZA CITY, Palestine/ANKARA 

The Palestinian Health Ministry in the Gaza Strip announced on Friday that a large number of Palestinians have been arriving at hospitals and medical points in recent days with symptoms of an unidentified illness.

The symptoms, according to Health Ministry Director-General Munir al-Bursh, are high fever, joint pain, a runny nose, coughing, and diarrhea.

Al-Bursh emphasized that, despite living in the 21st century, Gaza lacks basic medical facilities for diagnosing the condition, such as laboratories and the ability to perform simple blood tests.

Medical staff are forced to provide treatment under extremely primitive conditions due to the ongoing Israeli blockade and resource shortages.

Al-Bursh described instances in which bricks are used to immobilize broken limbs instead of medical devices, surgeries are performed under the light of mobile phones, and mechanical ventilation is carried out manually during power outages caused by fuel shortages.

"All of this is happening amid a genocidal assault, systematic starvation, and threats of full occupation, which has begun with the destruction of residential neighborhoods," Bursh said.

He emphasized that residents face dire humanitarian and health conditions, while the international community remains mostly silent.

Gaza is suffering from a severe humanitarian crisis as a result of ongoing Israeli attacks and a tight blockade that limits humanitarian aid. Shortages of food, water, medicine, and hygiene supplies exacerbate the population's suffering.

Israel has killed at least 63,000 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.