The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Gaza hospitals in a state of “utter chaos and a humanitarian disaster zone” - WHO
The UN World Health Organization (WHO) reiterated its calls on Tuesday for the protection of health care and humanitarian assistance in Gaza, following military checkpoint delays and detention of health partners during a mission to transfer critically ill patients from the north to the south and to deliver health supplies.
Briefing reporters from Gaza, Dr. Richard Peeperkorn, WHO’s representative in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, said that “the space for humanitarian actors to provide aid within Gaza is incredibly complex and it seems to be shrinking. It is very difficult for us to safely and swiftly move supplies, patients and staff and the needs are enormous to alleviate this catastrophic humanitarian situation which is only growing.”
The Gaza Strip has been transformed within 66 days of fighting, from a “reasonably functioning health system” producing health indicators “on par with neighbouring countries” to a situation where more than two thirds of its 36 hospitals and over 70 per cent of primary health care facilities are out of commission, according to WHO.
Dr. Peeperkorn told the media that on 9 December during a high-risk mission to evacuate patients from the Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City to the Nasser Medical Complex in southern Gaza, “on the way north, the UN convoy was inspected at the Wadi Gaza checkpoint and crew members had to leave the vehicles for identification, exposing them to risk.” He added that “two of the PRCS (Palestine Red Crescent Society) staff were detained for over an hour, and we had to wait there, it further delayed the mission. We witnessed that one of the staff was made to kneel at gun point and taken out of sight. Finally, he returned and we could move on as well.”
WHO’s representative stated that on the way back, with the 19 critical patients from Al-Ahli Hospital on board, the convoy was again stopped at the Wadi Gaza checkpoint. PRCS (Palestine Red Crescent Society) staff and most of the patients had to leave the ambulances for security checks, and "critical patients remaining in the ambulance were all searched by armed soldiers".
The WHO staff described the Al-Ahli Hospital as extremely overcrowded, with many displaced people sheltering there, and over 200 patients, while it only has enough resources to support 40 beds. The building has sustained substantive damage because of the hostilities.
“We saw many trauma patients on donkey carts, on horse carts, etcetera, dead people unfortunately, seriously injured people on foot, personal vehicles everywhere, every room in Al-Ahli, not only every ward but every corridor in the courtyard, outside, in the library, even the chapel, is full with patients,” said Dr. Peeperkorn. “We can only describe it as a kind of utter chaos and a humanitarian disaster zone.”
Faced with large numbers of trauma patients inside the hospital, and outside on the street, “the doctors are really forced to prioritize who receives care, who doesn’t, and they are treating many of the serious cases actually straight away in the corner of the corridors or on the floor or even in the chapel,” said Dr. Peeperkorn. “Unfortunately, there is no vascular surgeon, so that’s why the medical specialists are forced to do something like limb amputations as the last resort to save lives.”
Meanwhile WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier told reporters in Geneva that according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, the Kamal Adwan Hospital – also in the north – “is being forcefully evacuated. There are currently 68 patients inside the hospital, 18 intensive care unit patients and including six neonates.”
Close to 50,000 people have been injured in Gaza since 7 October and some 8,000 of them require “urgent and immediate medical intervention”, WHO said.
WHO said that with its partners it remains firmly committed to staying in Gaza and assisting the population. But as hostilities continue to increase across the Strip and aid falls short of needs, the humanitarian support system is on the verge of collapse.
The UN health agency reiterated that obstruction of ambulances and attacks on humanitarian and health workers are unconscionable, insisting that healthcare is protected under international law and must be respected in all circumstances.
-ends-
STORY: Gaza protection of humanitarian space - WHO
TRT: 3:14”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 12 December 2023 - GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
- Exterior wide shot: UN building with UN flag, UN Geneva.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) – Dr. Richard Peeperkorn, WHO Representative in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt): “The space for humanitarian actors to provide aid within Gaza is incredibly complex and it seems to be shrinking. It is very difficult for us to safely and swiftly move supplies, patients and staff and the needs are enormous to alleviate this catastrophic humanitarian situation which is only growing.”
- Cutaway: Medium shot, UN flag in front of UN building
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) – Dr. Richard Peeperkorn, WHO Representative in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt): “On the way north, the UN convoy was inspected at the Wadi Gaza checkpoint and ambulances and crew members had to leave the vehicles for identification, exposing them to risk. Two of the PRCS (Palestine Red Crescent Society) staff were detained for over an hour, and we had to wait there, it further delayed the mission. We witnessed that one of the staff was made to kneel at gunpoint and taken out of sight. Finally, he returned and we could move on as well.”
- Cutaway: Medium shot, outside UN entry at Place des Nations
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) - Dr. Richard Peeperkorn, WHO Representative in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt): “On the way south, and this is much more serious, again with the patients from Al- Ahli hospital, the convoy was again stopped at the Wadi Gaza checkpoint. PRCS and most of the patients had to leave the ambulances for security checks, and critical patients remaining in the ambulance were all searched by armed soldiers.”
- Cutaway: Wide shot, Ariana Park with sea in background
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) – Christian Lindmeier, WHO spokesperson: “The Ministry of Health is reporting just now that the hospital is being forcefully evacuated. There are currently 68 patients inside the hospital, 18 intensive care unit patients and including six neonates.”
- Cutaway: Wide shot, UN Geneva outside
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) - Dr Richard Peeperkorn, WHO Representative in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt): “We saw many trauma patients on donkey carts, on horse carts, etcetera, dead people unfortunately, seriously injured people on foot, personal vehicles everywhere, every room in Al-Ahli, not only every ward but every corridor in the courtyard, outside, in the library, even the chapel, is full with patients. We can only describe it as a kind of utter chaos and a humanitarian disaster zone.”
- Cutaway: Wide shot, Ariana Park within the premises of the UN Geneva
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) - Dr Richard Peeperkorn, WHO Representative on the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt): “The doctors are really forced to prioritize who receives care, who doesn’t, and they are treating many of the serious cases actually straight away in the corner of the corridors or on the floor or even in the chapel. As I said, severely short staffed. Unfortunately, there is no vascular surgeon, so that’s why the medical specialists are forced to do something like limb amputations as the last resort to save lives.”
- Cutaway: wide shot, UN Geneva
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
Israeli military operations in Lebanon continue to kill and injure civilians, and destroy civilian infrastructure, raising concerns regarding the protection of civilians, the UN Human Rights Office warned today.
1
1
1
Edited News | IOM , UNWOMEN , UNDP
Sudan: Aid teams report massive displacement after latest Darfur atrocity; women’s bodies ‘turned into battlegrounds’
In Sudan’s North Darfur, tens of thousands of people have fled a displacement camp following the massacre of civilians and aid workers as the country enters the third year of a conflict marked by horrific levels of sexual violence, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | ITC
Global trade could shrink by three per cent as a result of the United States’ new tariff measures which in the longer term could reshape and boost as-yet untapped regional commercial links, a top UN economist confirmed on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
Warring parties in Sudan are overseeing a wholesale assault on human rights amid global inaction, the UN Human Rights Office said on Friday, as the conflict is about to enter its third year.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
The UN Human Rights Office on Friday said Israel’s increasing issuance of so-called “evacuation orders” for Palestinians in Gaza have resulted in their forcible transfer.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , OHCHR , UNHCR , UNWOMEN , WFP , WHO
Two years of war in Sudan have created epic suffering, aid agencies say
Two years since Sudan’s brutal conflict began, UN agencies warned that famine is spreading and civilians of all ages continue to suffer shocking abuse, including rape and gang rape.
1
1
Edited News | UNMAS
In Gaza, ongoing Israeli military operations and the aid blockade have continued to add to daily fears and hardships confronting those in the devastated enclave, the UN Mine Action Service, UNMAS, said on Wednesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNDP
Dangers grow for Myanmar earthquake survivors, health system 'overwhelmed' - UNDP
In earthquake-shattered central Myanmar people are sleeping in the streets in fear of buildings collapsing, facing early monsoon rains and the risk of waterborne diseases, the UN Development Programme warned on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | ICRC , OHCHR , UNHCR
Myanmar’s military has continued to launch airstrikes and other attacks against opposition forces in the devastated country, one week since a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck and despite announcing a ceasefire, UN human rights chief Volker Türk said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif on Tuesday presented a report on the human rights situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, detailing the continued violations of human rights as a result of the offensive launched by the Rwandan-backed M23 in eastern DRC.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UNICEF , IFRC
UN humanitarians and partners on Tuesday expressed deep shock at the killing of 15 colleagues on duty in southern Gaza whose remains were recovered from a shallow grave after a week-long rescue operation, noting that one worker is still missing.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF , OCHA , WHO , UNHCR
Myanmar earthquake latest: window for lifesaving support is closing, say UN humanitarians
As the death toll continues to rise in earthquake-struck Myanmar, UN humanitarians have been rushing to support severely deprived and traumatized victims, warning that the window for lifesaving response is closing.