The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned of dire consequences if Israel goes ahead with an impending military operation in Rafah.

The organization gave the warning on its X page on Saturday.

It said the planned push into the southern border city of Rafah would lead to “a bloodbath.*

WHO said that more than 1.2 million people were currently sheltering in the area, many unable to move anywhere else.

“A new wave of displacement would exacerbate overcrowding, further limiting access to food, water, health and sanitation services, leading to increased disease outbreaks, worsening levels of hunger, and additional loss of lives,” it said.

According to the WHO, only 33 per cent of Gaza’s 36 hospitals and 30 per cent of primary health care centres were functional in some capacity amid repeated attacks and shortages of vital medical supplies, fuel, and staff.

WHO called for an immediate and lasting ceasefire and the removal of the obstacles to the delivery of urgent humanitarian assistance into and across Gaza, at the scale that is required.

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu is determined to launch an offensive in Rafah to eliminate the remaining strongholds of Hamas.