Director of Al-Shifa Medical Complex says unknown virus spread among people in Gaza

CAIRO – 28 August 2025: The director of Al-Shifa Medical Complex in the Gaza Strip confirmed the spread of a virus among the population of the Gaza Strip, on Thursday.

He noted that the medical sector in Gaza does not have the testing tools needed to determine its cause.

He added, that the population of Gaza suffers from malnutrition, which leads to immunodeficiency, in addition to a lack of clean water.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, said in statements that water, electricity, and food must be cut off from the Gaza Strip.

He added, that he problem of the Gaza population will be resolved if they are allowed to emigrate voluntarily, noting that the Israeli government’s goal is to undermine Hamas's military centers until we achieve its disarmament.

“We must not accept any deals as long as Hamas remains capable of reviving itself,” he emphasized.

The Gaza Health Ministry confirmed that since October 7, 2023, the war has claimed the lives of 62,966 Palestinians and left 159,266 injured. In the past 24 hours alone, hospitals recorded 71 new martyrs and 339 injuries. The ministry also reported that Israeli attacks targeting aid queues killed 22 civilians and wounded 203 others, raising the total death toll from “breadline massacres” to 2,180, with more than 16,046 injuries.

The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) warned that relentless Israeli airstrikes and evacuation orders are once again forcing entire families to abandon their homes, fueling further displacement and despair.

On Wednesday, members of the UN Security Council, excluding the United States, issued a joint statement calling for an immediate, permanent, and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza. They demanded a substantial increase in aid deliveries and urged Israel, as the occupying power, to lift all restrictions on humanitarian access without delay. Council members also rejected Israel’s decision to seize Gaza City, warning that such a move would exacerbate the humanitarian catastrophe and endanger civilian lives.

In a related statement, Amy Pope, Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), stressed that Gaza can no longer withstand the crisis. Writing on X, she said famine has been officially declared and that conditions worsen daily, with civilians lacking safe shelter, clean water, food, and medicine. She emphasized that aid is available but requires guaranteed access, underscoring the urgent need to end the assault immediately.