A WHO team said they recently met a seven-year-old girl at the European Gaza hospital who was suffering from 75% burns, but unable to receive pain relief because of short supplies.

“The catastrophe is when the patients’ wounds are rotting, as the wounds have been open for more than two or three weeks,” he said.

Dr Mohamed Salha, acting director of northern Gaza’s Al-Awda hospital, said people had been transported for treatment there on donkeys and horses.

He said one patient could need five or more specialist doctors to deal with the range of injuries.