The thousands of injuries sustained by civilians across Gaza
combined with a burgeoning public health crisis is a ‘recipe for
epidemics’, the World Health Organization’s emergency response
director said on Monday.
WHO’s Dr. Mike Ryan was
briefing journalists at UN Headquarters and added that “so many
children” remain in danger, as fighting between Palestinian
militants and Israeli forces continues, from hostages to those
living under bombardment with no safe place to shelter.
Up to 1,500 children in Gaza remain missing – many likely under
rubble – he said, as the health system faces “extreme pressure”.
He said following the evacuation of many patients at the largest
hospital, Al Shifa over the weekend, health staff remaining at
Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza may also need to be
evacuated in the next few days amid continued fighting there.
The WHO regional office tweeted a statement saying the
agency was appalled at reports of at least a dozen people being
killed during attacks on the Indonesian Hospital, which included
patients and companions residing there.
The ultimatum from Israeli forces to keep moving is creating a
concentration of people in UNRWA centres and
schools, that “fuels epidemic risks” he added, and combined with
cold rain recently, will lead to a spike in child pneumonia, Dr.
Ryan warned.
Before long the public health risks will be as grave as those
faced with injuries that are going untreated with water, food and
fuel so scarce.
All of this adds up to a ‘recipe for epidemics’ while calorific
intake is now below the “critical level” needed for the immune
system to stay healthy, Dr. Ryan added.
Some Al Shifa patients remain ‘in life-threatening
condition’
Rob Holden a WHO Senior Emergency Officer, briefing from Rafah in
southern Gaza, gave further details on the dramatic evacuation of 31
premature babies to relative safety from the war-torn Al
Shifa hospital in Gaza City.
He said the two-pronged weekend operation had been a success with
babies and remaining family members evacuated from the area,
working with the Palestinian Red Crescent.
He revealed that 28 of them had been sent across the border into
the care of the Egyptian Red Crescent and on for treatment
Monday, relaying the news that three of the babies had been
reunited with their immediate families in southern Gaza.
For 220 patients who remain at Al Shifa, he said a number were
“in a life threatening condition”, needed dialysis, and with one
man remaining in intensive care.
He added that 25 patients had severe spinal injuries and WHO
would work with the Palestinian Red Crescent to move them south.
Daily fuel supply agreed with Israel: Dujarric
The Israeli authorities have agreed to
allow approximately 70,000 litres of
fuel from Egypt into Gaza per day, the UN Spokesperson Stéphane
Dujarric told correspondents in New
York on Wednesday “which is well below the
minimum requirements for essential humanitarian
operations.”
He said the fuel would be distributed by the UN Relief and Works
Agency, UNRWA, to support food distribution and the operation of
generators at hospitals, water and sanitation facilities,
shelters, and other critical services.
On Sunday, UNRWA and UN Children’s Fund UNICEF distributed
around 19,500 litres of fuel to water and sanitation facilities
south of the central zone of Gaza “enabling them to operate
generators and resume their operation”, but only for around 24
hours, he added.
“To the north of Wadi Gaza, all water and sanitation facilities
are presumed to be shut down, and no distribution of bottled
water has been taking place since the start of the Israeli ground
operations on 28 October, raising grave concerns
about dehydration and waterborne diseases.”
He also said that the number killed in the attack that directly
hit Al Fakhouri school in Jabalia on Saturday was at least 24
people, with others injured, citing UNRWA.
At the time of the incident, the facility was sheltering about
7,000 internally displaced.
And in an update on the UN’s diplomatic efforts, a note released
to journalists in New York said political affairs chief, Rosemary
DiCarlo, had met on Sunday with Israeli President Isaac Herzog
and other senior Israeli officials.
She also met with families of hostages being held in Gaza.
On Monday, she held further meetings with Israeli officials and
UN colleagues on the ground. On Tuesday, she is traveling to
Ramallah in the West Bank to meet with Palestinian leaders there.
