Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), has confirmed more than 449 assaults on health services in Gaza and the West Bank since October 7.
During a special session organized by the WHO executive board addressing the health situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, Tedros underscored the dire consequences of conflicts on Gaza’s health conditions.
He lamented the devastating impact, citing over 17,000 reported deaths in Gaza, including 7,000 children, with an unknown number potentially trapped under the debris of their homes.
The toll also includes more than 46,000 reported injuries. Tedros noted that approximately 1.9 million people, nearly the entire population of the Gaza Strip, have been displaced, desperately seeking shelter amid pervasive insecurity.
Tedros highlighted the concerning lack of sanitation facilities, with an average of one shower unit for every 700 people and one toilet for every 150 people.
The precarious conditions have led to signals of potential epidemic diseases, such as bloody diarrhea and jaundice.
Moreover, he pointed out that only 14 out of the original 36 hospitals are partially operational.
With an increasing concentration of people in shrinking areas coupled with inadequate access to essentials like food, water, shelter, and sanitation, the risk of disease spread is heightened. Tedros emphasized the imperative nature of health never being a target.
Expressing support for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ plea for a permanent and urgent humanitarian ceasefire, Tedros stressed that a ceasefire is essential to safeguard and enhance the health of Gaza’s residents.
He expressed regret over the Security Council’s failure to adopt a resolution for a ceasefire, attributing it to a U.S. veto.
Since the October 7 attack by the Palestinian group Hamas, Israel has initiated air and ground assaults on the besieged enclave, resulting in the death of thousands, predominantly civilians, and displacing around 1.9 million people from their homes.
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