Clearly assessing the dire situation after more than eight months of war, the head of the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned on Tuesday that “A significant proportion of Gaza’s population is currently facing catastrophic famine and famine-like conditions”.
To date, more than 8,000 children have been diagnosed and treated for acute malnutrition, including 1,600 in the most dangerous form, WHO Director-General speak.
“Despite reports of increased food supplies, there is currently no evidence that those who need it most are receiving adequate quantity and quality of food,” Tedros asserted.
Malnutrition is gone
According to the United Nations Children’s Fund, life-saving treatment for children suffering from dangerous malnutrition is dwindling in the war-torn region, with only two out of three specialized nutrition stabilization centers dedicated to for severely malnourished children in Gaza remains open.UNICEF).
In an update on Tuesday, the United Nations agency Warns that malnourished children are ‘dying before their families’ eyes’while the United Nations aid coordination office, OCHAreported that escalating hostilities across Gaza continued to significantly hinder access to health care.
Some aid is successful
Despite ongoing operational and security challenges for aid groups, “humanitarian partners are currently reaching approximately 280,000 people per week in Gaza with medical services,” OCHA said. OCHA said, before noting that cooking gas shortages and electricity supply shortages have made it difficult to keep community kitchens and bakeries open.
“Food distribution efforts remain limited due to active fighting, damaged roads, limited entry points into Gaza, suboptimal operating hours,” the UN aid office said. at intersections and checkpoints and limited truck access is allowed.” “To reverse months of near-starvation in Gaza, other types of vital aid must also reach those in need.”
Constant escalation in the West Bank
In the occupied West Bank, OCHA warns that the situation continues to deteriorate, amid ongoing violence by Israeli forces and settlers targeting Palestinians.
OCHA’s latest data shows that since the Hamas-led terrorist attack on October 7 that sparked the war, more than 520 Palestinians – nearly a quarter of them children – have died. network in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
“Nearly three-quarters of those deaths occurred during operations by Israeli forces. During the same period, more than 5,200 Palestinians were injured in these areas,” OCHA said in an update, which counted 960 attacks on Palestinians by Israeli settlers since September 7. October. OCHA noted that these incidents “are on the rise.”
Attack on the healthcare sector
Echoing those concerns, WHO’s Tedros warned that the United Nations health agency had recorded 480 attacks on health care facilities in the West Bank since October 7, leaving 16 dead and 95 injured person.
“While the world focuses on Gaza, there is also an escalating health crisis in the West Bank, where attacks on the health care system and restrictions on the movement of people are hinder access to health services.
Illegal settlements have expanded in the occupied West Bank, affecting people’s access to health services, the WHO Director continued, noting that in most areas on the West Coast, clinics can operate only two days a week and hospitals operate at around 70 hours. percent capacity.
