Top UN humanitarian official warns: ‘The entire population of northern Gaza is at risk of death’
“What Israeli forces are doing in besieged northern Gaza cannot be allowed to continue,” said Joyce Msuya, acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and UN Emergency Relief Coordinator. custom”. posted on social media platform X.
She noted that hospitals were attacked, medical workers were detained and first responders were hindered from rescuing people trapped under rubble.
“Shelters were emptied and burned…families were separated, men and boys were taken away by trucks,” she added.
According to reports, hundreds of Palestinians have been killed since Israeli security forces resumed their offensive in northern Gaza earlier this month. Tens of thousands of people had to evacuate again.
“The entire population of northern Gaza is at risk of death”, Ms. Msuya warned.
“Such blatant disregard for basic humanity and the laws of war must end.”
Siege ends at key hospital ‘at heavy cost’
Head of the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) also expressed deep concern about the situation, emphasizing the serious impact on healthcare.
in one parcel on X, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the situation as “disastrous”.
“Intensive military operations took place around and inside health care facilities and there were severe shortages of medical supplies, along with severely limited access,” he said. , is taking away people’s right to life-saving care.”
He also noted that the Gazan Ministry of Health has informed WHO that the siege at Kamal Adwan Hospital – one of the last minimally operational hospitals in the north – has ended, “But it comes at a high cost.”
After the arrest of 44 male staff members, only the female staff, the hospital director and a male doctor were left to care for nearly 200 patients in desperate need of medical attention.
Protect the hospital at all times
Tedros said reports that hospital facilities and medical supplies were damaged or destroyed during the siege were reprehensible.
“The entire health system in Gaza has been under attack for more than a year. WHO cannot emphasize enough that hospitals must always be protected from conflict. Any attack on health care facilities violates international humanitarian law.”
He added that the only way to protect “what remains of Gaza’s collapsing health care system” is through an immediate and unconditional ceasefire.
“Life depends on it!” he emphasized.
