WHO members urge "Israel" to protect humanitarian workers
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Over a dozen member states expressed their “grave concern about the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east al-Quds".
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An explosion is seen following an Israeli bombardment on the Gaza Strip, on Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023. (AP
On Friday, more than a dozen member states of the World Health Organization submitted a draft resolution, urging "Israel" to abide by its international 'legal obligations' to safeguard humanitarian workers in Gaza.
The ongoing Israeli aggression on Gaza has massacred 17,487 people, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza health ministry in the besieged Palestinian territory.
The content of the draft resolution is scheduled for examination on Sunday during a special session of the World Health Organization's Executive Board. This session has been convened to address "the health situation in the occupied Palestinian territory."
The proposal for the draft resolution was put forth by a coalition of countries, including Algeria, Bolivia, China, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Morocco, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
Read next: WFP warns of 'high risk' of famine in Gaza
Palestinian representatives, holding WHO observer status, were among the signatories to the proposal, underscoring their involvement in the initiative.
The member states expressed their "grave concern about the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east al-Quds, especially the military operations in the Gaza Strip".
They urged "Israel" to "respect and protect" exclusively those medical and humanitarian workers engaged in carrying out medical duties, along with hospitals and other medical facilities.
'Gaza in a dire state'
In a separate statement, WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier informed reporters on Friday that Gaza's health system was in a dire state and could not withstand the loss of another ambulance or a single hospital bed. "The situation is getting more and more horrible by the day... beyond belief, literally," he said.
The United Nations' humanitarian agency OCHA said late on Thursday that only 14 of the 36 hospitals in the Gaza Strip were functioning in any capacity.
Late on Thursday, the United Nations' humanitarian agency OCHA said that only 14 of the 36 hospitals in the Gaza Strip were functioning in any capacity.
Earlier this week, according to the head of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, 'Israel warned the WHO to withdraw medical supplies from two warehouses in southern Gaza.
The audacious Israeli occupation claimed that the removal was necessary since its ground operations in southern Gaza would render the supplies useless.
Ghebreyesus wrote on X that the organization appealed to the Israeli occupation to withdraw its order and take "every possible measure to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, including hospitals and humanitarian facilities."
