International League Against Epilepsy Statement on the Humanitarian Crisis Affecting Gaza and Israel

The International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) is shocked and deeply saddened by the events of 7 October and increasingly concerned about the unfolding situation affecting Gaza and Israel. The loss of so many innocent lives on both sides of the border is devastating and the level of grief in all communities unimaginable.

The ILAE’s mandate is to strive for the best possible care and treatment for people with epilepsy no matter where they live in the world. At least one in every hundred people in the affected areas have epilepsy and are in need of regular medication. The number of people suffering from prolonged seizures - which have a 30% mortality rate - is likely to be rising on a daily basis as medicines become increasingly limited and more and more people suffer from head injuries as a result of attacks in highly populated areas.

Unhindered humanitarian access including the provision of life-saving anti-seizure medicines must be prioritized alongside efforts to bring about a solution and long-lasting peace for the sake of all people in the region.