The protection of medical infrastructure and health personnel is an “imperative in all circumstances”, declared Monday the director general of the WHO, in a first comment on the hostilities between the Israeli armed forces and Hamas in a week.
“It is essential that international humanitarian standards are fully respected,” “I call on the leaders of all parties to ensure respect for these vital laws,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during the bi-weekly press briefing of WHO in Geneva.
Dr Tedros noted that “the recent escalation of the conflict has caused dozens of incidents involving healthcare workers and health infrastructure and what is more, tests and vaccination against Covid-19 have been severely affected, which creates health risks for the whole world “. “WHO continues to work and has worked for years with all actors in the health sector in Israel and Palestine and has worked very, very well in trying to bring the two sides together on matters of mutual interest,” said the organization’s chief emergency response program, Michael Ryan. “All attacks on everything related to health must cease immediately” and access to care “must be guaranteed”, he insisted. “We will continue to work with all those who want to help people in need and people whose health, physical and mental health are affected by this devastating conflict,” he pledged. Since May 10, 200 Palestinians have been killed, including at least 59 children, and more than 1,300 injured.
On Sunday, 42 Palestinians, including at least eight children and two doctors, were killed. Heaviest toll in a single day, according to the local health ministry. On the Israeli side, ten people were killed, including a child, and 294 injured after rocket and missile fire from the Gaza Strip.
–
The protection of medical infrastructure and health personnel is an “imperative in all circumstances”, declared Monday the director general of the WHO, in a first comment on the hostilities between the Israeli armed forces and Hamas in a week. ” It is essential that international humanitarian standards are fully respected “,” I appeal to …
