{"id":1327658,"date":"2023-11-13T12:13:20","date_gmt":"2023-11-13T12:13:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/?p=30460"},"modified":"2023-11-13T12:13:20","modified_gmt":"2023-11-13T12:13:20","slug":"un-officials-call-for-urgent-international-action-to-end-israeli-attacks-on-hospitals-in-besieged-gaza","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2023\/11\/13\/un-officials-call-for-urgent-international-action-to-end-israeli-attacks-on-hospitals-in-besieged-gaza\/","title":{"rendered":"UN officials call for \u2018urgent\u2019 international action to end Israeli attacks on hospitals in besieged Gaza"},"content":{"rendered":"

UNITED NATIONS: Senior officials of three UN humanitarian agencies on Sunday called for an \u201curgent international action\u201d to end the deadly Israeli attacks against hospitals in blockaded Gaza, according to APP.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In a joint statement, the regional directors of the UN Sexual and Reproductive Health Agency, UNFPA; children\u2019s agency, UNICEF, and health agency, WHO, said they were \u201chorrified\u201d at the latest reports that many have been killed including children\u00ad in facilities across Gaza city and other northern areas of the ravaged enclave.<\/p>\n

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The Palestinian Red Crescent Society is reporting that the second largest hospital in Gaza, Al-Quds, is in effect out of service due to fuel shortages with the NGO saying it has only been able to make sporadic contact with the facility.<\/p>\n

WHO has lost communication with its contacts at Al Shifa Hospital, the largest in Gaza, where news reports quoting the health ministry, say that five wounded patients have died because they could not be operated on due to a lack of fuel.<\/p>\n

Two babies in the intensive care unit there were reported to have died on Saturday, with water, food and electricity cut off by the Israeli occupation forces.<\/p>\n

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed grave concern for the safety of staff and patients caught in crossfire late on Saturday noting that Israeli tanks were reportedly surrounding Al Shifa.<\/p>\n

The Israeli military has repeatedly denied its forces are targeting hospitals, claiming that Hamas and other militants are using the facilities as shields with their headquarters located beneath Al Shifa.<\/p>\n

\u201cIntense hostilities surrounding several hospitals in northern Gaza are preventing safe access for health staff, the injured, and other patients,\u201d said the statement released by Laila Baker of UNFPA, UNICEF Regional Director Adele Khodr, and Dr. Ahmed Al-Mandhari, of WHO.<\/p>\n

\u201cPremature and new-born babies on life support are reportedly dying due to power, oxygen, and water cuts at Al-Shifa Hospital, while others are at risk. Staff across several hospitals are reporting a lack of fuel, water and basic medical supplies, putting the lives of all patients at immediate risk.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n

Over the past 36 days, WHO has recorded at least 137 attacks on healthcare in Gaza, resulting in 521 deaths and 686 injuries, including 16 deaths and 38 injuries of health workers, the regional directors said.<\/p>\n

The world cannot stand silent while hospitals which should be safe havens, are transformed into scenes of death, devastation and despair, they said.<\/p>\n

Attacks on medical facilities and civilians are unacceptable and are a violation of international law, the statement said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey cannot be condoned. The right to seek medical assistance, especially in times of crisis, should never be denied,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n

More than half of the hospitals in the Gaza Strip are closed while those remaining \u201care under massive strain\u201d.<\/p>\n

Shortages of water, food, and fuel are also threatening the wellbeing of thousands of displaced people, including women and children, who are sheltering in hospitals.<\/p>\n

\u201cDecisive international action is needed now to secure an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and prevent further loss of life, and preserve what\u2019s left of the health care system in Gaza,\u201d the directors said.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnimpeded, safe and sustained access is needed now to provide fuel, medical supplies and water for these lifesaving services. The violence must end now.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Lynn Hastings, warned that lack of fuel is not only putting lives at risk in hospital, but water pumps, desalination plants and wastewater treatment centres are all \u201cgrinding to a halt.\u201d<\/p>\n

She tweeted that public health crises are emerging and \u201chumanitarian operations will be next.\u201d<\/p>

The post UN officials call for \u2018urgent\u2019 international action to end Israeli attacks on hospitals in besieged Gaza<\/a> first appeared on VOSA<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This post was originally published on VOSA<\/a>. <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

UNITED NATIONS: Senior officials of three UN humanitarian agencies on Sunday called for an \u201curgent international action\u201d to end the deadly Israeli attacks against hospitals in blockaded Gaza, according to APP. In a joint statement, the regional directors of the UN Sexual and Reproductive Health Agency, UNFPA; children\u2019s agency, UNICEF, and health agency, WHO, said \u2026<\/p>\n

The post UN officials call for \u2018urgent\u2019 international action to end Israeli attacks on hospitals in besieged Gaza<\/a> first appeared on VOSA<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":863,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1244,273,2633,4,473,1227,340],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1327658"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/863"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1327658"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1327658\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1328122,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1327658\/revisions\/1328122"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1327658"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1327658"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1327658"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}