World Health Organization (WHO) Condemns Deadly Strike on Gaza Refugee Camp
Geneva: The World Health Organization (WHO) expressed deep concern after a deadly strike on a Gaza refugee camp resulted in numerous casualties, including children. WHO staff visited a Gaza hospital on Monday to witness the devastating impact of the explosions.
Distressing stories of entire families being killed and dying children were shared with the WHO team. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the chief of the UN health agency, stated that health workers and victims recounted harrowing accounts of the suffering caused by the strikes. Tragically, one child lost their entire family in the camp, and even a nurse at the hospital suffered the same loss.
According to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, at least 70 people were killed in Israeli strikes on three houses in the Al-Maghazi refugee camp. However, the exact toll could not be independently verified by AFP.
The Israeli military has stated that it is reviewing the incident and remains committed to international law, including minimizing harm to civilians. Meanwhile, rows of victims’ bodies, covered in white bags, lined the grounds of the Al-Aqsa hospital in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, ahead of a mass funeral.
Tedros highlighted the overwhelming number of casualties received by the hospital, which far exceeded its capacity. He warned that many patients may not survive the wait for treatment and called for an immediate ceasefire.
The conflict began when Hamas fighters launched an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,140 people, mostly civilians, and the capture of 250 hostages. In response, Israel initiated a relentless military campaign that has claimed the lives of at least 20,670 people, mainly women and children, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
Sean Casey, a WHO Emergency Medical Teams coordinator, described the heart-wrenching scene at Al-Aqsa hospital, where doctors provided pain relief to a critically injured nine-year-old boy named Ahmed. Despite their efforts, the boy’s injuries were too severe, and he was beyond saving.
WHO has expressed grave concerns about the deteriorating healthcare situation in Gaza, with only nine out of the original 36 hospitals still partially functional. Casey emphasized that the international community cannot accept the ongoing loss of innocent lives and called for an immediate ceasefire.
(This story has been rewritten from a syndicated feed without any reference to the prompt.)
Disclaimer: Only the headline and content of this report may have been reworked by Newsearay, staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed. The Article was originally published on Source link
