The UN health agency has added its weight to calls for regular
humanitarian access to Gaza, where two dozen medical facilities
have now come under attack through Israeli air strikes, along
with healthcare personnel.
In a World Health Organization (WHO) press conference on
Thursday, senior officials highlighted the “almost total
destruction” of the central COVID-19 testing lab in Gaza
City, along with “severe restrictions” on deliveries of medical
supplies.
Key needs from the health agency include an end to the violence,
ensuring the protection of civilians and healthcare facilities,
and support for emergency medical treatment.
Dr Richard Brennan, WHO Regional Emergency Director, highlighted
rising concerns over the lack of access through the regular
crossing points to Gaza:
“We need a ceasefire, we need humanitarian pauses, we need
humanitarian access, we need all the crossings open…to let the
aid in and the sick and injured out.”
The head of WHO’s office in the West Bank and Gaza, Dr. Richard
Peeperkorn, also urged immediate aid access.
“It’s incredibly frustrating, but it is deeply sad for the people
of Gaza. That is why we call on all parties to actually agree to
this humanitarian pause to make sure that this humanitarian
convoy has access to Gaza.”
He said access needed to be assured for the coming weeks and
months, “to assist Gaza with acute needs, but also then with
building up…health infrastructure and health systems, to make
sure that we get functioning primary healthcare systems on the
ground as soon as possible”.
UN continues mediation effort
Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, spent
Thursday in Qatar as part of the UN effort to restore calm in
Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory.
UN Spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, told journalists at the
regular noon briefing in New York, that "we are actively engaged
with all the relevant parties for an immediate ceasefire."
He said the UN Secretary-General António
Guterres was continuing "his intensive contacts with the
parties and pertinent regional and international stakeholders",
holding a group meeting on Thursday with Arab Ministers to
discuss the current situation.
Tireless efforts to bring about a ceasefire, were continuing,
said Mr. Dujarric, "to ensure humanitarian access, and to achieve
a political solution that ends the occupation and realizes the
two States living side by side in peace and security."
Deaths, injuries continue
Latest UN data indicates that the clashes – which are the most
serious since conflict of 2014 – have claimed the lives of at
least 219 Palestinians, including 64 children and 36 women, and
injured thousands more.
There have also been at least 12 fatalities in Israel, including
two children, and hundreds of injuries, from rockets fired by
Hamas, which has controlled the enclave since 2006, and other
militant groups.
The UN human rights office (OHCHR)
confirmed that six Palestinians had been killed during Wednesday,
including at least two civilians, one of whom was a girl.
The UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, said in a flash update from the
region covering 12pm on Tuesday to noon on Wednesday local time,
that hostilities had resulted in additional displacement of
Palestinians, bringing the cumulative number of internally
displaced (IDPs) in the 10 days of fighting to about 75,000,
including 47,000 seeking protection in 58 UNRWA schools across
Gaza.
“Another 28,700 displaced people are staying with host families”,
the latest update stated.
Clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces across the West
Bank, including in East Jerusalem also intensified during the
reporting period, according to OCHA. Three Palestinians were
killed, and 1,485 Palestinians were injured by Israeli forces.
Two foreign nationals were killed in Israel from Palestinian fire
on Wednesday, both workers from Thailand, in the country on
temporary programmes.
