Combating infections under siege: Healthcare challenges amidst the military assault in Gaza

The ongoing Israeli military assault on Gaza has caused a devastating collapse of healthcare infrastructure, resulting in an unprecedented surge in infectious diseases. The destruction of sanitation systems, restrictions on medical supplies, and displacement of civilians have created an environment conducive to the rapid spread of waterborne, vector‐borne, and antibiotic‐resistant infections. This paper draws from the insights of local Palestinian healthcare workers and recent medical missions conducted by FAJR Scientific, the Palestine American Medical Association, and Doctors Without Borders, examining infection control efforts under extreme constraints. The missions encountered major challenges, such as the absence of sterile equipment, inadequate access to clean water, and disrupted healthcare services. These conditions have exacerbated the spread of diseases such as hepatitis, meningitis, and polio, with severe impacts on Gaza's pediatric population. Efforts to implement infection control measures, such as telemedicine consultations, wound care protocols, and antibiotic stewardship, were heavily impeded by the ongoing blockade. The paper underscores the critical importance of lifting the siege to allow humanitarian access and to address the root causes of the infectious disease crisis in Gaza. It also highlights the resilience of Palestinian healthcare workers who continue to provide care under these dire circumstances. The recommendations outlined aim to support future medical teams working in conflict zones by providing practical strategies for infection prevention and control amidst such sustained violence. These efforts are contingent on international intervention and an end to the systematic blockade that has weaponized healthcare access. 以色列对加沙的持续军事进攻导致医疗基础设施严重崩溃，传染病数量空前激增。卫生系统的破坏、医疗用品的限制、以及平民的流离失所，为“水源性、媒介性以及抗生素耐药性”感染的快速传播创造了有利环境。这些任务遭遇了重大挑战，例如缺乏无菌设备、无法获得足够的清洁水、以及医疗服务中断。这些情况加剧了肝炎、脑膜炎和脊髓灰质炎等疾病的传播，对加沙的儿科人口产生了严重影响。持续的围困严重阻碍了感染控制措施的实施（例如远程医疗咨询、伤口护理方案和抗生素管理）。本文强调了解除围困的特别重要性，以期允许人道主义援助进入加沙和应对加沙传染病危机的根源。本文还强调了巴勒斯坦医护人员在这种严峻情况下为继续提供护理所展现的毅力。所概述的建议旨在通过“在这种持续的暴力事件中提供切实可行的感染预防和控制策略”来支持未来在冲突地区工作的医疗队。这些努力取决于国际干预、并终结将医疗服务武器化的系统性封锁。 El continuo ataque militar israelí a Gaza ha provocado un colapso devastador de la infraestructura sanitaria, lo que ha dado lugar a un aumento sin precedentes de las enfermedades infecciosas. La destrucción de los sistemas de saneamiento, las restricciones a los suministros médicos y el desplazamiento de civiles han creado un ento