The UN health agency has said Israel should let it stock medical supplies to deal with a “catastrophic” health situation in Gaza before it seizes control of Gaza City, AFP reports.

“We want to stock up, and we all hear about ‘more humanitarian supplies are allowed in’ — well, it’s not happening yet, or it’s happening at a way too low a pace,” said Rik Peeperkorn, the World Health Organisation’s representative in the Palestinian territories.

Peeperkorn said the WHO was able to bring in fewer supplies than it wanted “due to the cumbersome procedures” and products “still denied” entry — a topic of constant negotiation with the Israeli authorities.

He said only 50 per cent of hospitals and 38 per cent of primary health care centres were functioning, and that too partially.

“The overall health situation remains catastrophic,” he said. “Hunger and malnutrition continue to ravage Gaza”.