A new brief from the Rehabilitation Task Force (led by WHO) within the Health Cluster in oPt, highlights a severe and unprecedented surge of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) cases amidst the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Between 1 June and 6 October 2025, 123 cases of this rare neurological disorder were reported, including 17 deaths and dozens of patients requiring intensive care or mechanical ventilation along with specialized treatment.
Guillain-Barré Syndrome is an acute autoimmune disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks its own nerves, causing pain, weakness, and paralysis that can progress rapidly leading to lifelong disability or preventable deaths.
The brief outlines how overcrowding due to displacement across the Gaza strip, a collapse of water and sanitation systems and the resulting spread of infectious diseases, has triggered an uptick of GBS cases. With unusually large numbers of cases, stocks of life-saving treatments have been rapidly depleted, leading to critical shortages and leaving many patients without access to treatment in August 2025. With 39% of cases affecting children and 90 patients discharged but still in need of physical rehabilitation, the report underscores the urgent need for medical supplies, and rehabilitation services for the long-lasting disabling impact of GBS on many survivors.
The brief is available online here