On Winding Up The 5th Week Of Israel-Palestine War: Gaza Health System On It’s Knees (Image: Twitter/UNRWA)
Thousands were reportedly fled north from the Gaza city’s main hospital as Israeli strikes advanced around the compound Friday overnight. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of World Health Organisation, expressed his deep concern as the Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza faced “grave insecurity”. Several of the health workers were also forced to leave the vicinity considering safety. Meanwhile, many of the thousands sheltering in the hospital still remain there.
As reported by the Associated Press, the Israeli army claimed that the Hamas’ military infrastructures were based in the Gaza city hospitals and its immediate surroundings. The army added that, Hamas set up its major command center in and under the largest Gaza hospital – Al Shifa. The claims were already denied by Hamas and the hospital staffs.
The intergovernmental organisation WHO, also verified over 250 attacks on health care in Gaza and the West Bank, since October 7, when the Islamic-political-military outfit named Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on an Israeli desert music camp. In the counter attack by the Israeli defence forces, aided by American artillery, over 11,000 Palestinians have been died so far.
The war is wrapping up its fifth week and in the last week alone, the WHO documented 5 Israeli attacks on 5 hospitals in one day in Gaza. In the past 48 hours alone, 4 hospitals have been put out of action. “WHO is very concerned about the safety of patients, health workers and those sheltering in hospitals. They need immediate protection”, said Mr Ghebreyesus on X (formerly Twitter). WHO called both sides of the war to respect the international humanitarian law and appealed for an immediate ceasefire.
We are extremely disturbed by reports of airstrikes in the vicinity of Al-Shifa hospital in #Gaza. Many health workers we were in contact with have been forced to leave the hospital in search of safety. Others report being unable to move due to grave insecurity. Many of the…
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) November 10, 2023
According to Mr Ghebreyesus, Gaza’s 36 hospitals and two out of three of the regions primary health care centres are “not functioning at all”. “The health system is on its knees”, he added while updating the United Nations Security Council on the health situation in Gaza. The UN Security Council met on Friday evening to discuss the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.
“Every day, you think it is the worst day and then the next day is worse”, said the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) on X. So far, at least 54 UNRWA installations have been impacted by strikes in Gaza and at least 101 UNRWA workers killed since October 7. According to them, at least 10,818 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip alone.
At least 54 @UNRWA installations have been impacted by strikes in📍#Gaza – some directly – since the beginning of the war.
70% were south of Wadi Gaza, in middle and southern areas.
66 people sheltering in @UNRWA facilities have been killed and 556 injured.#HearTheirVoices pic.twitter.com/y2fdtPYGXi
— UNRWA (@UNRWA) November 10, 2023
