Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that although 447 metric tons of medical supplies have been delivered to Gaza, it is only a small portion of the increasing demand for assistance.

Hospitals in crisis

According to Tedros, only 15 of the 36 hospitals in the enclave are currently functioning at a partial or minimal level. This comes as the Israeli military continues to heavily bombard southern Gaza, even during the rescue of two Israeli male hostages from a building in Rafah.

The head of the WHO expressed his appreciation for the efforts of healthcare professionals in extremely challenging situations. He also voiced his concern, shared by many around the world, about the recent violence in Rafah, where most of Gaza’s residents have sought refuge from the devastation in the northern areas.

The Israeli government reports that there are approximately 134 Israelis and foreigners who are being held captive in Gaza. This number includes individuals who have passed away and whose bodies are being held.

Between November 24th and November 30th, a temporary halt in fighting resulted in the release of 86 Israeli hostages and 24 foreign nationals.

Fresh appeals 

During his speech at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, Tedros reiterated the need for safe access for humanitarian personnel and supplies, the release of hostages by Hamas, and a ceasefire.

In a recent update, the United Nations agency responsible for aiding Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, stated that a delivery of food supplies for 1.1 million individuals is currently being held at an Israeli port due to new limitations set by the Israeli government.

The UN agency reported that 1,049 containers of essential food items such as rice, flour, chickpeas, sugar, and cooking oil are trapped, leaving families in Gaza at risk of hunger and starvation.

Rafah torment

Approximately 1.5 million individuals are currently seeking refuge in Rafah, near the border of Egypt. According to UNWRA’s most recent report on the war, this is six times the population before the conflict began. The war was instigated by terrorist attacks led by Hamas, resulting in the tragic deaths of 1,200 Israeli and foreign citizens, as well as the abduction of over 250 individuals on October 7th.

In addition to escalated airstrikes in Rafah, the United Nations agency stated that there has been ongoing and lethal conflict in the area of Khan Younis to the north. The fighting has resulted in damage to UNWRA’s biggest shelter in the southern part of the territory, known as the Khan Younis Training Centre. As a result, a large number of Palestinians have been forced to seek refuge in Rafah.

According to Thomas White, Director of UNRWA Affairs in Gaza, UNRWA will be unable to safely and efficiently carry out operations while the city is under attack by the Israeli army.

The UN agency emphasized the urgent requirement for increased humanitarian aid to be delivered into the Strip. They also mentioned that the Kerem Shalom crossing, which connects to Israel, has been shut down since Wednesday, February 7 due to ongoing protests obstructing its operation.

The UNWRA report mentioned that the Israeli authorities have not given approval to transport flour from the port of Ashdod in Israel to the Gaza Strip, causing critical supplies to be blocked and contributing to food insecurity.

The source for this information is news.un.org.