More than 1,000 attacks on healthcare systems in the Occupied Palestinian Territories since October
At a press conferenceDr. Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representing the West Bank and Gaza Strip, told journalists that there is currently no functioning hospital in the southernmost city of Rafah in the enclave, following Israel’s recent offensive there.
He added that the number of hospital beds has dropped sharply, from 3,500 before the conflict broke out to just 1,400 now.
He said 600 of those 1,400 beds were provided by field hospitals “so right now, the Ministry of Health and the permanent hospitals of the NGOs are only providing 800 beds out of 3,500 beds, plus 600 field hospital beds, for 2.2 million people”.
WHO officials also stressed the urgency of allowing critically ill patients to leave Gaza, stating that there are still around 10,000 patients who need urgent evacuation, half of whom are suffering from serious injuries – including spinal injuries and amputations.
He stressed that although hospitals in the West Bank and East Jerusalem were ready to receive patients – along with neighboring countries – safe evacuation corridors were still needed: first, to the West Bank and East Jerusalem, second, to Egypt via Rafah, with Jordan as a third option.
Many countries have provided medical evacuation services, Dr Peeperkorn added. “Don’t let politics get in the way of providing life-saving care to critically ill patients,” he urged.
The entire population was traumatized.
The mental health crisis in Gaza is also of concern, affecting all 2.2 million residents and humanitarian workers.
“It involves children…It involves adolescents.It involves women.It involves men.It involves the elderly.It involves healthcare workers.It involves first responders…No one is unaffected by what has happened, and this will also need special attention during the initial recovery and rehabilitation process,” Dr. Peeperkorn stressed.
Stop targeting schools
In another development, Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency assisting the Palestinians (UNRWA), reported that attacks on schools in Gaza have become an almost daily occurrence.
“At least eight schools have been attacked in the past 10 days, including six UNRWA schools” he said in a post on X“War has robbed girls and boys in Gaza of their childhood and their right to education.”
He added that neither side in the conflict is allowed to use schools for combat or military purposes.
“Schools are not the target,” he stressed.
