WHO and its partners evacuated critically ill patients from the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis in southern Gaza. WHO chief: “Gaza has become a death zone” Peace and Security
The Gaza Strip faces an unacceptable sanitary, epidemiological and humanitarian situation, and conditions continue to deteriorate, the head of the UN World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, warned on Wednesday.
“The Gaza Strip has become a death zone,” he told reporters at a briefing in Geneva.
The war in More than 29 thousand people died in the enclave, and many more were missing and presumed dead. More Palestinians were injured, he added.
Across the sector, acute malnutrition has risen sharply since October 7, from less than one percent of the population hungry to more than 15 percent in some areas.
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This figure will rise, Tedros said, expressing deep concern about with the suspension of organizations such as the World Food Program (WFP), whose staff are unable to access northern Gaza.
WFP has suspended humanitarian supplies due to lack of security guarantees as for staff and for those who seek help.
Humanity must prevail
What has the world come to if people have no food and water, if doctors are threatened with shelling, and hospitals are closed because they do not have electricity or medicine to save patients, the head of WHO laments.
He stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages and unhindered access for humanitarian aid.
“Humanity must prevail,” Tedros said.
Hospital evacuations
Over the past three days, WHO and partners have visited the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Yunis in southern Gaza several times to evacuation of seriously ill patients, including children.
“With intensive care units no longer functioning, WHO has helped move patients, many of whom cannot even walk,” the WHO chief said.
About 130 sick and injured patients and at least 15 doctors and nurses remain hospitalized as Israeli military operations continue, there is no electricity, no running water and supplies of vital medicines are depleted.