I am echoing the recent concerns expressed by Martin Griffiths, the top humanitarian official at the UN, regarding the potential for a violent attack in Rafah that could result in a massacre. The World Health Organization (WHO) has also strongly denied allegations of collaborating with non-health organizations within or beneath hospitals in Gaza over the course of several years.

There is no conspiracy.

Dr. Teresa Zakaria, the WHO incident manager for the conflict in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), emphasized that there is no collusion between the WHO and any other entities in the health sector. This includes our health partners and the local Ministry of Health with whom we are collaborating. We cannot stress enough that this is not the case.

Unfortunately, we are unable to look into other events occurring within hospitals or what is occurring beneath them. I understand that in hospitals, where there are numerous patients and displaced populations, our main focus is on providing services. Therefore, we do not have the ability to delve into anything beyond fulfilling our service duties.

Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, the representative of WHO in the OPT, expressed concerns about the militarization of hospitals in Gaza and emphasized the need for all parties to refrain from violence. He also highlighted the ongoing hostilities and the possibility of a large-scale offensive in Rafah, stating that the situation is causing fear among the people. He shared that he has been approached by many individuals seeking guidance on how to cope with the situation.

Dr. Peeperkorn reported that there has been a significant increase in patients seeking care at hospitals, which are struggling to meet the demand due to limited resources. He also noted that 1.5 million people in Rafah are currently living in temporary tents and UNRWA shelters due to the overwhelming overcrowding and lack of adequate medical facilities.

Hospitals swamped

According to the WHO doctor, the hospitals in Rafah that are still partially operational are experiencing extreme strain due to being understaffed and lacking resources. They also mentioned that the Israeli authorities have only allowed 30% of WHO missions to the northern region since November.

“Dr. Peeperkorn stated that the figure has significantly decreased since January, with only around 45% of mission requests for the southern region being fulfilled. He expressed frustration with this statistic, stating that even during times of conflict, there should be safe routes for aid organizations like WHO, the UN, and their partners to carry out their work.”

“We require a comprehensive system for resolving conflicts in order to effectively carry out our tasks. The United Nations and the World Health Organization are prepared to expand their missions to cover areas in the north, central, and southern regions.”

Deadly toll

Following a period of over four months of vigorous bombing by Israel, which was triggered by Hamas-led assaults in Israel on October 7, resulting in approximately 1,200 fatalities and 250 hostages, health officials in Gaza have disclosed that over 28,000 individuals, primarily women and children, have lost their lives.

According to a statement from the UN’s emergency relief chief, Martin Griffiths, humanitarian workers have been undertaking a nearly impossible task of providing assistance to those in need, despite the dangers involved.

The veteran aid official cautioned that without safety assurances and with ongoing strikes in Rafah, humanitarian workers remain at risk. They also implored Israel to listen to the pleas of the international community and refrain from a ground invasion, which could have perilous outcomes.

According to Mr. Griffiths, there is no safe place in Gaza and those who have been displaced due to the violence, including rocket attacks from northern Gaza towards Israel, have no place to seek refuge. He also noted that the living conditions in Gaza have worsened, with severe shortages of secure spaces, shelters, clean water, food, and medicine.

Chink of light

Fortunately, there was a brief break in intense conflict in Khan Younis, which enabled volunteers to address a crucial issue at Nasser and Al Amal hospitals. The top UN aid coordinator commended this development, stating that on Monday, volunteers were able to leave Nasser hospital to redirect sewage from a damaged pipeline that was causing flooding in the emergency room and jeopardizing its operation.

He stated that the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) organized a three-hour pause with the approval of the Israeli military, allowing for a temporary solution to the pipeline issue until a permanent resolution can be reached.

Education hit

According to the most recent data on the destruction of schools in Gaza, the head of UN relief stated that a total of 162 school buildings have been directly impacted since October 7th.

According to a report by UNICEF and Save The Children, almost 30% of the 563 school buildings in the enclave have been affected. Out of these, 26 have been completely destroyed. This has directly impacted over 175,000 students and 6,500 teachers. The report also states that more than half of the schools in Gaza will need to be fully reconstructed or significantly repaired due to the ongoing hostilities.

Unable to reword.