WHO urges access for patients in Gaza as Israeli offensives intensify
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), speaks during a news conference on the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak in Geneva, Switzerland, on Monday, March 2, 2020. More than $1.1 trillion was wiped off the value of developing-nation stocks and bonds last week as the economic impact of the coronavirus worsened. Photographer: Stefan Wermuth/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The Director-General of the World Health Organization on Sunday raised concerns over the deteriorating conditions at a hospital in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis.
He stressed the urgent need for access to patients and medical facilities as the war in the enclave bites harder.
“Nasser hospital in Gaza is not functional anymore, after a weeklong siege followed by the ongoing raid,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote on X.
Dr Tedros said efforts by a WHO team and its partners, access to the hospital for assessing patients and critical medical needs was denied.
“Both yesterday and the day before, the WHO team was not permitted to enter the hospital to assess the conditions of the patients and critical medical needs, despite reaching the hospital compound to deliver fuel alongside partners,” he said.
“The cost of delays will be paid by patients’ lives. Access to the patients and hospital should be facilitated,” he said.
On Friday, Palestinian Health Ministry said at least five patients died at the hospital due to a power outage.
At least 28,858 people have been killed in Israeli retaliatory attacks since the October 7 Hamas onslaught.
The attacks also injured 68,677 others and causing mass destruction and shortages of necessities.
Ealier on Thursday, the Israeli army attacked the hospital, forcing all of the patients to run for safety.
