GAZA CITY: The Gaza Strip is facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, with a child losing their life on average every 10 minutes, according to World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Addressing the United Nations Security Council, Tedros painted a harrowing picture of the dire situation in Gaza, emphasizing that “nowhere and no one is safe.”
Tedros revealed that half of Gaza’s 36 hospitals and two-thirds of its primary healthcare centers are non-operational, while those still functioning are overwhelmed and struggling to cope. The dire state of the healthcare system has left it “on its knees,” with hospital corridors overcrowded, morgues overflowing, and surgeries conducted without anesthesia. Tens of thousands of displaced people seek shelter at hospitals, further straining the already fragile infrastructure.
https://twitter.com/DrTedros/status/1723193486189506654
Israeli Brutalities Against Palestinians in Gaza
The WHO chief’s report comes in the wake of Israel’s relentless military campaign launched on October 7, resulting in the loss of over 11,000 Palestinian lives, including 4,506 children, 3,027 women, and 678 elderly individuals. Additionally, more than 27,490 people have been wounded. The imposition of a siege by Israeli forces on the enclave, home to 2.3 million people, has exacerbated the crisis by blocking essential medical supplies, fuel, water, and food.
“On average, a child is killed every 10 minutes in Gaza,” Tedros solemnly declared during his address to the UN Security Council. Since the onset of the Israeli brutalities, the WHO has documented over 250 attacks on healthcare facilities in Gaza and the West Bank.
Deputy US Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood acknowledged the gravity of the situation and reported that the United States is actively working to provide fuel to hospitals in Gaza. He stressed the importance of respecting and protecting civilian and humanitarian facilities under international law.
The Security Council observed a moment of silence at the outset of the meeting to honor civilians killed in Gaza, including over 100 individuals associated with the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA).
