UNICEF spokesperson Kazem Abu Khalaf confirmed on Saturday that medical personnel in the Gaza Strip are operating under extreme pressure, amid a severe shortage of medicines and medical supplies, in addition to power outages and a shortage of fuel needed to operate medical equipment in hospitals.
According to the organization's official website, Abu Khalaf's spokesman said that the United Nations is not demanding the impossible in the Gaza Strip, but rather is demanding the implementation of international law, which guarantees civilians the right to medical treatment, life, and movement. He added, "If Gaza is left in this state, we face a humanitarian catastrophe whose effects will be felt for decades to come."
He pointed out that critical humanitarian cases, including children, women, and the elderly, are dying daily due to a lack of access to adequate medical care. He explained that the situation cannot be remedied with aid alone, but rather requires a comprehensive plan to rebuild the economy and operate and open the crossings on a stable basis, allowing the entry of goods, fuel, and medical supplies.
Abu Khalaf added that the health system in the Gaza Strip has almost completely collapsed due to the ongoing Israeli bombardment and blockade. He pointed out that the number of hospitals operating in the Strip before the war was 36, but this number has decreased to only about 18 hospitals, most of which are operating at a partial capacity of no more than 50%. He added that more than 10,500 wounded Palestinians need to leave the Gaza Strip for urgent treatment abroad, but the rate of discharges does not exceed two cases per day.
He added, "If the situation continues as it is, we will need more than 13 years to fully discharge all of the injured for treatment."
שתף את דעתך
UNICEF: Medical personnel in Gaza are operating under extreme pressure and face a severe shortage of medicines.