The United Nations Office at Geneva
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Bi-weekly Press Briefing 12 December 2023
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PRESS BRIEFING BY THE UNITED NATIONS INFORMATION SERVICE
12 December 2023
Rolando Gómez of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, attended by the spokespersons and representatives of the World Health Organization.
Update on health issues in Gaza
Dr. Richard Peeperkorn, World Health Organization (WHO) Representative in the occupied Palestinian territory, speaking from Gaza, said in just 66 days, the health system had gone from 36 functional hospitals, to 11 partially functional hospitals; 1 in the north and 10 in the south. Just 29 percent of primary health care facilities were partially functional. Dr. Peeperkorn had visited most of the hospitals in the South, where WHO had delivered essential medical and trauma supplies, also al-Ahli Arab Hospital, in the north on December 9. The North of Gaza looked like a wasteland and the devastation was enormous. A convoy had come through with six Palestinian Red Crescent Ambulances, two UN vehicles, an OCHA [Office of the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs] vehicle, and a truck filled with medical supplies. Al-Ahli Arab Hospital was the only partially functional hospital in the north. Mr. Peeperkorn said he had never seen scenes like this. Typically, this was an 80- bed hospital, yet there were more than 250 patients. The hospital grounds were full of internally displaced persons, with trauma patients and dead people on donkey carts. Every room, corridor and courtyard was filled with patients. It was utter chaos and a humanitarian disaster zone. The hospital was relying heavily on volunteers who were doing an amazing job. However, many of the seriously injured patients could hardly receive the nursing care they required. Many serious cases were being treated on the floors, in the corridor and in the chapel. Al-Aqsa Hospital was one of the better functional hospitals; usually it was a hospital for 200 patients but there were over 600 there currently, as well as internally displaced persons. WHO were trying to get more staff in to coordinate. All efforts needed to be made to keep current hospitals functional and to restore the health care system. It was important to get the primary health care system functional again.
Responding to questions, Dr. Peeperkorn, said the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), together with WHO tried to get an assessment of the spread of disease. There was an enormous influx of internally displaced people, particularly in the Rafah area. The UNRWA shelters were completely full, and makeshift shelters could be seen everywhere. There had been more than 160,000 cases of acute respiratory infections, more than 60,000 cases of diarrhoea, and over 39,000 cases of skin diseases. There were also cases of jaundice, multiple traumas, spinal injuries and burns, among other injuries.
Providing aid in Gaza was incredibly complex and the needs were enormous. WHO was committed to stay and deliver and were doing everything possible to support the people of Gaza. 19 critical patients had been transferred from Al-Ahli Hospital, to the south of Gaza, where they could receive better treatment. The journey was extremely dangerous. On the way north, a Palestinian Red Crescent Society staff member was made to kneel at the checkpoint at gunpoint and taken out of sight. Finally, he returned, and the mission could move on. On the way south, the UN truck was again stopped at the Gaza check point and the same staff member was taken for interrogation. Numerous steps were taken to coordinate his release, but after over two and a half hours, a difficult decision was made to continue moving onwards without the staff member. The staff member was released later that night, following UN negotiations. He stated that he had been subject to humiliating and inhumane treatment.
Rolando Gómez for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) drew attention to the latest UNRWA update which stated that 134 UNWRA colleagues had been killed, with 1.1 million internally displaced persons sheltering in 154 UNRWA facilities.
Responding to further questions, Dr. Peeperkorn said he could not give exact figures on the number of children who had had limbs amputated. WHO needed a better overview, in collaboration with UNICEF, to answer these questions. Among the fatalities, there were an enormous number of women and children.
Dr. Peeperkorn said he didn’t see many people moving up north, but rather many people moving down south. The WHO convoys had been completely swarmed whenever they drove through, by people thinking they had food and water. Before the crisis, Gaza had 3,500 beds and a reasonable functional health system; now there were less than 1,500. WHO was very concerned; they could not afford to lose any more hospital beds. The south was now the backbone of the health system. Al-Shifa needed to be functional again; there were still many people in the north. WHO needed to be expanded and restore the functionality of the system. There were concerning stories about sieges and attacks on hospitals. Healthcare should always be protected and should never be a target.
The delays had been at military checkpoints; humanitarian actors were there to assist and needed to do so in a much more effective way. It became difficult to move safely and swiftly, and the delays meant less time at the hospitals on the other side. WHO hoped to receive updates on the four people, three from the Ministry of Health and one from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, who had also been detained during the Al-Shifa mission. The fact that their whereabouts were unknown was unacceptable and extremely concerning.
As of December 11, 18,209 had been killed and 49,645 injured with over 70 per cent being women and children. Kamal Adwan hospital had a limited number of patients and staff; WHO had not been ablet to access this hospital. Shifa Hospital was the best option to start functioning again and to expand the health services in the North for those in need.
Dr. Peeperkorn said WHO relied on figures from the Ministry of Health, and gathered their own statistics. From past experience, statistics had always been very well managed and reliable in Palestine. There was also a report and analysis on this topic in The Lancet. Hardly any hospitals were fully functional.
Responding to questions, Christian Lindmeier for the World Health Organization (WHO) noted that the Ministry of Health reported that the Kamal Adwan hospital was being forcefully evacuated. There were currently 68 patients inside the hospital, as well as 18 ICU patients, including six neonates. This put another hospital out of use and put patients out on the street. There was one partially functioning hospital in the north of Gaza and 10 in the South; there were no hospitals that were fully functioning.
Mr. Gómez remined the media that regular UNRWA updates and daily OCHA updates were being shared on the current situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, which should be consulted for the latest figures.
Announcements
Rolando Gómez for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) said events were taking place in Geneva today to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of the Human Rights. A statement by the High Commissioner from the opening of the high-level event this morning had been shared with the media.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres was in Dubai, where he was attending COP28; speaking to the media yesterday, he said now was the time for maximum ambition and maximum flexibility. The COP was scheduled to finish today, and the Secretary-General would remain in Dubai for the closing.
A statement by the Security Council strongly condemned the violence in Warrap State in South Sudan which claimed approximately 75 lives in November and 10 lives already in December. The Security Council was meeting publicly at 3 p.m. New York time today, to discuss the situation of Sudan and South Sudan.
No human rights treaty body meetings were taking place today. The Global Refugee Forum would take place at Palexpo, tomorrow through to Friday. The Forum was convened by five States, Colombia, France, Japan, Jordan, and Uganda, and co-hosted by the Swiss Government.
Today at 1 p.m., the Permanent Mission of Israel would hold a press stake out with Ambassador Meirav Eilon Shahar.
Also today, there would be a press stakeout by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) at 18:30 p.m. when UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk would deliver closing remarks to the press at the end of the two-day High-Level Event, marking 75 years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
On Thursday, 14 December at 10:30 p.m, a European Union Press Conference would be held at Palexpo, at the Global Refugee Forum, to underscore the EU resettlement pledge 2024-2025.
Responding to questions, Christian Lindmeier for the World Health Organization (WHO), said there was no information about whether Dr. Tedros would address the human rights high-level event in Geneva.
Teleprompter
Thank you very much.
I think, Doctor, uh,
porn is, uh, has joined us from WHO.
That said, I think we could start our
regular press briefing
today, the 12th of December.
I'd like to welcome you all to this all virtual, uh, meeting.
We are resorting to this format exceptionally today, given
the many goings on here at Geneva and hopefully facilitating your work.
However, we want to make sure we have a sharp focus on the situation.
Feel particularly situation in Gaza. We're very pleased to have
back with us today. Dr
Richard
Peppercorn, who, you know.
Well, the WHO representative on the occupied Palestinian territory
From speaking from Gaza, I think maybe Christian, if Christians online maybe, uh,
you'd like to start off if there's something you wanted to, uh,
add before we turn to, uh, Dr
Peppercorn Christian.
Well, thank you very much. Uh, Rolando. Thanks, everyone. Um, yeah. Great.
To have, uh, doctor Richard
Peppercorn available today. We sent out a press release just this morning.
Um, so the the the updates are really hot and glad to have him right here.
As you know, he's called talking from Gaza. So the, uh the the
connection might be unstable. He warned us before.
So we'll see how far we get.
We'll also try to share any specific talking points at
least the main figures or or names of hospitals.
Whatever we're talking about
so that you have those in writing as soon as we can share.
And with that, thank you very much. And back to you.
Great. Thank you, Christian. Over to Doctor.
Thank you very much. Good morning. Uh, well,
um, I would like to start, um,
on the hospital functionality and and everything related to that.
Uh, I understand the press statement came out just now,
so I'm sure we'll be getting some questions on that as well.
But let's focus first on the functionality. And and
in In just 66 days,
the health system has gone from 36
functional hospitals to 11 partially functional hospitals.
So one in the north
and 10 in the south. So again, from 36 to 1 in the north and 10 in the south.
The four minimal functional in the north are
Asaba, uh, Shiva
barely.
And you've heard stories about Ada
and Kamal? Aw,
I don't think we can call them a functional at the moment or even not even barley.
Very functions functional.
So
besides this, just 29% of primary healthcare functional, uh,
facilities are functional.
And I wanna describe a little bit what we we saw.
I'm here now more than two weeks and and visited most of the hospitals in the south
where WHO delivered essential, uh,
medical and trauma supplies essential medicines,
but also to the north and and to our recent visit on 9 December to Al
Ahli
Arrai
Hospital,
also known, uh, formerly known as the Baptist Hospital, I think,
uh, in north of Gaza, first of all, north of Gaza.
Uh,
I know this very well. I come there every month, Uh, a week.
It's It looks like a wasteland.
I mean, it's it's
the devastation destroyed. Uh,
devastation is is simply enormous. We were still surprised that
we saw
so many people, actually on the streets, lying on the streets, Children, men,
women said coming out surprised,
uh,
that, you know, we had this convoy of, uh, of of, uh uh PO CS ambulances. Uh,
the UN two UN vehicles, one WHOD
with
a
and and, and,
uh, UN DS S and of course, a truck, food, medical supplies.
Uh,
Al
Ali is
basically the only partially functional hospital in the north. And
and many people. I mean, I know that hospital is a relatively small hospital.
Uh, the situation is completely different. And I can tell you, I worked 7.5
years in Afghanistan. I've seen some grim scenes in and after the
blast in in the Helmand, in the in the emergency trauma hospital in Kandahar, Kabul,
et
cetera.
But
I've never seen scenes like this actually in my life.
So it's usual, uh, usually and and and
an 80 bed hospital.
But given the resources available, it was only really
it's only realistically capable of treating 40.
Yes, there are more than 202 150 patients, and
we saw many. The the hospital grounds are
also full of ID, PS and and full of people.
And we saw many patients turned up many trauma
patients up on donkey carts on horse cars,
et cetera.
Dead people unfortunately, uh um,
seriously injured, uh, people on food, uh,
and personal vehicles everywhere. Every room at the moment in Al
Ali. So
not only every ward, but every corridor in the courtyard outside the library.
Even the chapel
is full with patients.
And and
you can only describe it as as a
kind of
chaos and and and a humanitarian disaster zone.
Uh,
the building, of course, had already sustained damages.
Uh, because of the hostilities.
Uh,
we talked to the hospital staff, we know. Well, uh, doctor fado,
the orthopaedic, uh, surgeon And, um,
and and doctor uh, Mohamad
Rawan, who came from Indonesian hospital, actually to to support.
He supports a general, uh,
surgeon.
And they listed out similarly, as we hear everywhere,
the lack of the shortage of fuel
oxygen, essential medical supplies,
as well as a lack of food and water for patients and health workers Uh,
the
that our specifically our OT uh, operations, uh,
and the trauma case were immediately removed, uh,
from the truck and brought to the sterilisation room of the
the functional, the self functional Operation Theatre.
The staff capacity is
minimum specifically, the nursing care there is
The hospital at the moment is heavily relying on volunteers,
and and and I must say they do an amazing job,
but because the patients everywhere and many of them
really serious.
They hardly received the, um let's say the nursing care they should receive,
um
So face with with With With this huge number of
of patients everywhere on the streets outside and all wars,
the doctors are are are really forced to prioritise. Who receives cares who doesn't
and and theyre they're treating many of the serious cases actually in straight
away in the corridors or on the floor or even on the chapel.
as I said, severely short staffed
and is looking, um, unfortunately, there is no vascular. Um uh, surgeon.
So that's why
the
the medical specialists they are forced something to do.
Limb amputations are decided as the last resort to save life. And
I visited again.
We brought in medical goods in NASA medical, uh,
complex and and described the the incredible congested.
And
I would say horrific situation there on the trauma ward that
Al
Ali beats everything,
uh, European Gaza, Al
Najar, Al Aqsa
and the and and it is sadly to say it.
We hear this the similar stories. Yesterday
we were
Al aa
hospital, which is in the middle area.
This is, I would say, still one of the better functional hospitals.
Also there normally the hospital for 200 patients currently over 600
thousands of ID PS also camping in the hospital grounds.
and
the hospital still functions relatively well because they still had an
They had a number of, uh,
medical specialists and medical doctors coming
from from from the nurse assisting.
They still had a number of nursing staff and they still kept going.
They raised the same issues, by the way, uh, that
the staff is also completely preoccupied, of course, by the safety of their family
and and and so they cannot always concentrate on their on their job.
Enormous need to expand beds
and the bed capacity and and
beyond al
AA, I would like to set up, uh, with assistance of parkers
and an additional bed capacity of 200 beds, uh, close by.
There is some emergency medical teams now moving in, and and there are some, uh,
promising plan IC OC moving with and, uh,
planning an additional capacity of 150 beds in the European Gaza Hospital.
Of course, there's already Emiratis,
and and the Jordan uh
uh field hospital MS F with
some
emerging medical teams
WHL We've tried to get more in and coordinate,
and this is what we should focus on.
All the efforts must be made to keep the remaining hospitals functional
and urgently protect and restore the health system.
Now, I'm only talking about hospitals and and mainly focusing all the trauma cases.
We we have to get a primary healthcare system
and the linkages between primary healthcare systems, uh,
and hospital care, uh, functional again.
Uh,
because, of course, most patients, uh, as we always see,
they go to basic health service.
They will need basic health care, health care services. Uh,
we think about reproductive maternal and child health, emergency obstetric care.
Uh, non
comical diseases and specific diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, oncology and,
of course, mental health or psychosocial support.
So the whole area
I wanna leave it here as an introduction and and describe a little bit, uh,
the situation specifically up north, uh, in
a hospital. Over to you.
Thank you. Thank you very much. Richard.
And I think I'm gonna turn back to Christian.
I think, uh, Christian has a, uh, additional comment to make, uh,
Christian over to you.
No, I was, uh thank you.
I was I was offering to read out the, uh, the statement, but, um,
I understand that Rick has a limited time available, so let's maximise that,
um and Rick, if you agree, I would then read the statement that we sent after you.
You're done with your Q and a and let's use Q
and a now for you because you're not always available.
Right? All right. Thanks. It's, uh, thank you. That's that's a practical approach.
Thank you very much, Christian. OK, in that case, let's turn to questions. We have
two questions so far. Emma from Reuters over to you. Emma.
Uh, good morning.
I was wondering if you could give us an overview of how bad the spread of diseases is.
And, um,
what it means for the sick that the the health
care system is overwhelmed with all these trauma injuries.
Um, are these people being neglected? And
do you have any estimate for how many have been killed from diseases, not bombs.
Thank you.
OK, let me start with, uh, with with I think the question, of course,
on chronical disease, infectious disease and and and outbreaks.
Uh,
NW
and NNW. I said Ministry of Health Technical.
Uh uh, partners of the Ministry of Health
is together with WHO. Try to get an assessment
as good as possible.
I mean, even over the two week I'm here
and and and and in a rough area and make all these trips up north and and everywhere
there is an enormous influx of ID PS.
And I think, uh, Gaza is probably one of the few areas where, as a refugee,
you become an an an an ID P,
and
specifically here in the Rafa area, which is, I think, normally, a city of 280,000,
uh, and and must harbour more than a million now.
I mean, even everywhere around us, every day
you've seen this, uh, growing, uh,
and
the UN rushed shelters are completely, completely full and and and overwhelmed.
But you see everywhere makeshift shelters around the streets, on every street,
and and and
Rafa is teeming with people everywhere around the street.
So just to give some figures, we
we looking, of course, on acute respiratory infections and and and since, uh,
the start, we you see more than 161 165,000 cases.
Diarrhoea. Um, this, of course. Uh, under five years, we see more than 60,000 cases.
And
that is, uh, I believe, um,
something like, um,
four,
four or five times as no more, Much more,
but 40 times as much as we see in normal time during this year.
Diarrhoea over five years as well over 60,000. So,
uh,
skin diseases lies, uh, over 25,000. Uh, skin rashes, Uh,
and
impetigo,
chickenpox. Uh,
and, um, meningitis.
Uh, we also saw cases of jaundice, and these are all syndromic case management.
And and, of course,
with jaundice. You think?
Is it hepatitis A or is it hepatitis E, which is much more serious.
So we try to get in mobile labs
and and and
and check on that. And also, we try to refer, uh, samples. That is not yet
in in place.
Overall, if you look at, uh, fatalities, I mean, like,
they are now standing as over 18,000.
Uh uh,
Of which more than 60% is is women and Children and injuries. 50,000. So,
uh, and displaced
over 1.9 million people.
Uh,
now all the trauma cases. No they are not neglected.
I think the the hospitals, Uh, although the hospital system is on his knees,
they do whatever they can do.
And specifically in the in the southern areas, where
we see,
a
lot of the
what we see. Of course, multiple traumas. We see spinal injuries. We see,
uh, there's a lot of, uh, burns and and skin and a need for skin grafts.
And
and I we never even discussed that the impacts
of this
enormous flow of injured people. So, uh,
talking about, uh,
close to 50,000 injured people,
the impacts it will have on their future and their and their family lives
in Al
Ali. I described the situation which is
is so unfortunate that there is no vascular surgeon and that sometimes
the
the medical specialist there, they have to go over to amputation
to save, uh, to save lives
over to you.
Thank you very much. Richard.
Um, I just take note that Christian has dropped some figures in the chat.
Some disease figures. Um, as of the 10th of December, So do take note of that,
Jeremy, if you don't mind, I think Well, Emma, you have a follow up,
perhaps to your earlier question.
So maybe let's go back to Emma, then back to Jeremy afterwards. Go ahead, Emma.
Uh, yeah. Just quickly to clarify. I think you said fatalities of 80,000.
Is that from disease? Could you just clarify that figure? Thank you.
I think this is, um and I must say, you must have must have seen the figures.
I mean, like they've been, uh, these are the reported figures,
uh, or fatality. Yeah. 18,205 Current 11th December and injuries 49,645.
Thanks for that. Clarification. Uh,
we'll take a questionnaire from Jeremy of Radio Falls International.
Jeremy?
Yeah. Thank you.
that
por,
uh, I'd like you to just to to to mention what happened.
Uh um, to the UN staff, uh, on the way to Al
Ali II. I understand that, uh, one of the member of the staff was was arrested twice,
uh,
on the way back and forth, and he was detained and, uh,
beaten.
And can you, uh,
specify, Uh, because on on the on your communique, it doesn't say that it is
the Israeli armed forces that arrested him. We all understand that it's the,
uh, Israeli armed force, but it doesn't really specify in in in the communication.
So just can you explain what happened? Basically,
OK,
and let me explain this as, um as well.
Well, first of all, I think you will also see this reflected in the
in the statement
and as an overall point,
I wanna make that that the space for humanitarian actors to provide aid within Gaza
is incredibly complex.
And it's it seems to be shrinking.
And and it is very difficult for us to safely and swiftly move supplies,
patients and staff.
And and the needs the needs are enormous to alleviate this cat
catastrophic humanitarian situation, which is only, uh, uh
growing.
So we are as WHO definitely committed to stay and and deliver.
We're doing everything possible to support and also
our, uh the other other agencies humanitarians, uh, around.
And, uh, i again, I want to specifically call out to support UN.
R a,
uh
uh on this. Now,
we we have carried out multiple missions,
actually and and extremely difficult conditions.
And and and the the latest, I would say very complex one. The one yesterday in Al
Aqsa. Relatively easy
latest complex one to Al
Ali in, uh, in Gaza City.
We and I forgot to mention that.
So we also managed We work with six P CS, uh, vehicles and PS CS staff, Uh, and the the,
uh
because we and they are how key and trust apart.
And besides bringing in
the needed essential medical supplies,
we
also were there to transfer critical patients.
And we were planning to transfer 12 critical patients finally,
uh,
very much, uh,
facilitated and supported and managed by, uh, PS CS with the WHO team.
19 critical patients and 14 companions were
actually, uh uh
where we were taken from Al
Ali to
National Medical Complex in the south of Gaza and also
which is also overwhelmed. But there they
they can get better treatments, uh,
than than and definitely better treatment than and and
a
a,
um
the
And
for information.
I mean, when we did an assessment,
we probably could have taken 30 or 40% of the patients if you look at the criticality
of it, the journey was extremely dangerous, and and it was delayed
your military checkpoint and detention of health partners. And,
uh,
this is what I say on the way north,
the UN convoy was inspected at Awadi
Gaza checkpoints and and and ambulance and crew
and the crew members had to leave the vehicles for identification,
exposing them to risk, uh, risk.
Two of the PAP CS staff were detained for over an hour,
and we had to wait there and further delaying the missions.
And and we witnessed that one of the staff was being made to to nil at
gunpoint
and taken out of sight.
And
finally, uh, he he came, uh, he he returned, and we could move on.
Uh, as well. I also want to mention that, uh, that's SWHO we
we have an obligation to to, um, monitor,
analyse and report on attacks on health care.
So one of the truck, uh, carry medical supplies,
and one of the ambulances were hit by bullets, actually, uh,
on the way entering Gaza,
all the way south. And this is much more serious, et cetera.
Again with the patients from Mala
Ali.
Then the convoy was again stopped at the wide Gaza's checkpoint.
Uh,
P CS staff and most of the patients had to leave the ambulances for security checks
and critical patients remaining in the ambulance were all searched, uh,
by armed soldiers.
Now, one of the,
uh, one of the same two P CS. Uh, staff temporarily detained earlier on the way in
was taken for inter interrogation on a second, uh, time
we waited and we made numerous attempts
to coordinate his release.
We waited and waited, and we tried. And through all our channels, uh, in
Jerusalem. And then eventually,
um, after 2.5 hours, uh, you had to make this incredibly difficult choice. Uh,
well, uh,
to leave this this highly dangerous area and proceed
for the safety and well being of the patients.
But of course, also from the humanitarian workers, uh, ourselves.
Uh,
the PU CS staff member or colleague was released later
that night after the
joint, uh, UN
efforts. And
we interviewed him yesterday at
al a
hospital. Um,
and his story is is harrowing. And and the humiliation and enemy
treatments he was subject to is, uh,
is, uh, is rather shocking
over to you.
Thank you very much, Richard.
And maybe just on a related note, I draw your attention.
Colleagues to the latest update from UR
A,
which, uh, was published yesterday,
contains up figures as of the 10th of December this past, uh,
this past Sunday, uh,
among other things and notes, uh, that very sadly that, uh, to date,
100 and 34 un work colleagues have been killed
in Gaza,
and it cites a number of, um
well, the number of 1.1 million I GPS sheltering at 97 on R facilities
in the middle in Communist and Rafa area. So do take a look at that UN R update.
OK, we'll take a question now from John Zara.
Costas John, over to you?
Yes. Uh, good morning, Rick.
I was wondering if you have, uh,
the figures for the number of Children that have had their limbs amputated.
Uh, we keep on seeing
the Children's limbs being amputated,
endless reports by your partners on the ground.
Um, I think it's a very good question.
And I think we discussed this even this morning. And, um um, Philippe
Lazzarini was here. The the
the head of an a
R.
And then,
um uh, one of the,
UNICEF colleagues, of course, also stressed,
um everything around Children.
And
And we need to get better granularity on this, uh, so I cannot give you, uh
um the updates. We need to get a better overview. And we need to do that. Uh uh. Sw
WHO together with, uh, with UNICEF
to to make a better assessment and that we can indeed, like,
uh, get back to this kind of questions.
What we see, of course, we see among the fatalities and enormous amounts of, uh,
of of women and Children
and over 60%
and also among the injuries. So it's definitely issues.
Unfortunately, I cannot answer this more specifically now.
Thank you very much.
Uh, Rick, I just take note there are a couple of questions in the chat,
but maybe we'll get to those in a minute.
I, I understand that Christian is sending a note, uh, in by email,
but we'll turn now to Lisa Schlein, the Voice of America.
Go ahead, Lisa.
Thank you, Rolando. Good morning and good morning, doctor.
Porn. Thank you for all this.
Um, I'd like to know whether you believe that, uh,
whether you feel secure that the hospitals in the south where the conflict has now,
uh, primarily shifted our safe from, uh, bombing. Whether the Israelis
are are are and will be respecting the particular status
of the hospitals.
And also, since the conflict
seems to have shifted from the north to the south, do you
see more people,
uh, returning to the north? Because
the areas in which uh,
safety so-called exist in the south are getting smaller and smaller and smaller,
And, uh, II I don't know.
I mean, there's a break.
I mean, you've reached the breaking point in many cases, but,
uh, perhaps you could
talk about your, uh, your view of the situation. Thank you.
Yeah. All my observations and what we get, uh, around.
I don't see many people moving up north
because I think even when I, um, I can recall our mission up north to a
LA the hospital
extremely dangerous. So, I, I don't see. I don't see many people moving up north.
I see many people moving down south
and, for example, in the middle area de
Bala and I know that place very well.
And when we we had to drive to the trip to DBA
on the way to
Ah
and I've never seen so such big crowds in that place.
Everywhere we were completely swarmed with people. Uh, when we drove through
the
ball
and every time, of course, we had to say that these were that these were medications,
This was Dawa.
And and it was
meant for a Latin hospital because
many people thought that maybe there's food or water and such right we would be in
We would be in big problems, actually, uh,
in in, in among these crowds. So
what we see, we see
more and more people coming in this area in the Rafa area.
As I said, Rafa is everywhere.
Everywhere you see, uh, shelters and makeshift shelters. Uh, around
on the hospital situation. I think W HR has been very clear
on this week.
We
before the crisis, um,
guys
had 3500 the best,
and I want to stress again
a reasonable, functional health system
producing health indicators at par,
which is neighbouring countries.
So people say, Oh, the health sector was always very bad. No, that is not true.
Yes, There were issues in quality and in primary health care.
Yes, mental health should be much more addressed.
Yet there were some specialties lacking, uh,
which we were trying to assist to to to get a cancer centre within Gaza. And
we know that that was not yet happening. And
and
5200 patients need to be referred to East Jerusalem and the West Bank today,
and 40% of that were cancer.
Uh, related.
But it was a functional health system with a lot of,
uh despite all the despite all the challenges and all the issues,
they were they they were going through,
3500 deaths. I think we are now probably down.
If we always say number of 1500 we must be less now,
Although we are adding bets that the health system
is adding deaths in the in the South,
I can say, like, am I concerned? Yes. WHO is very concerned.
And that's why I think the whole protection of health and
and health care health care facilities is so much, Uh uh,
reflected in in in everything WHO does and and brings out,
uh,
we cannot afford to lose any more hospital beds.
Uh, and
the South is now the backbone
of the health system.
We need to get at least two functional hospitals running in the north as well.
And I really want to make a plea for, of course, not only Al
Ahli Hospital, but also Shifa Shifa
is still barely functional but dysfunctional. The infrastructure is there.
It used to be the backbone, the best referral hospital in Gaza
that needs to be functional again. Because there are still many people in the north.
Estimations range from everything from 2 to 600,000 or something like that.
In the South, the two most important hospitals, uh,
are NASA Medical Complex with all the specialisation European Gaza Hospital.
Now all the other hospitals are,
I would say,
and and
let's say they have made more first level referral, uh, hospitals.
Every hospital needs to expand its death capacities.
And that's why we're trying to get EMT emergency medical teams in
to help expand
uh, the bed capacity and and
and
probably an estimation now that 1400 deaths
already you, uh, in both in Nasser,
they expanded with another 100 deaths. I mean, next to the hospital.
As I said, we have a number of field hospitals and EMTS coming in.
That is hopeful sign.
Uh,
European Gaza Hospital is currently being expanded
through the assistance of IC UC.
the issue is we cannot afford to lose any health facility and hospital,
nor I wanna stress primary health care facilities we need to expense.
And we need to expand the back capacity, and we need to restore
the functionality of the system. We need to get the back.
It needs et cetera, standing up again.
Now,
are we concerned? Yes, we are concerned. We We hope
that we we we plead that this will not happen
And that, uh,
that incredibly vulnerable health infrastructure will be left intact
and that we can actually expand on this.
We hear very concerning stories about, uh,
um siege and and and
And attacks on Kamal at one,
hospital.
And at one hospital we get calls as well to
assist with evacuation of patients there and of of,
of staff, et cetera.
We again want to call out, uh, health facilities and health care
that should be protected can never be a target over to you.
Thank you very much, Rick.
I know that you're a bit pressed for time,
but if we could maybe we have still two hands up.
If, uh, maybe could you stay with us? Just a few more minutes.
Excellent. This way we'll just say, if you don't mind. And yes.
And, Isabel, if you can, maybe we'll pose your questions back to back to save time.
But, uh, just before we take your questions, uh, Rick, I think there was, uh,
a need to clarify whether the delays were at the Israeli checkpoints.
That's one clarification. And then, uh, John is asking whether
you said 18,209 killed
and 49,645 injured.
So maybe if you could address that quickly and then we'll take the questions.
Yeah. Uh, sorry. I just got a call.
Not not to worry. OK?
Yeah. So the question was on on, um
um, on what was happening and the delays on the on the on on the checkpoint,
is that correct?
Yes, indeed.
Whether it was an please to clarify whether it was indeed an Israeli checkpoint,
a military checkpoint or something else.
yeah, yeah, definitely. It was Israel military, and I think this is
it was Israeli military checkpoint, and
this is what makes it. And I think I made a point in the beginning,
Uh, humanitarian actors, including WHO.
We are here to assist, and we want to assist much better, because we are
only scratching the minimum. We need to assist in a much more effective way, and
it is incredibly complex to actually organise these missions.
I mean, everything needs to be notified deconflict et cetera, to,
and it becomes very difficult to move safely and and and
and swiftly if it is supplies or patients or staff,
uh, et cetera.
And then when you get these delays because, for example,
we have plans to stay at least two hours, 2.5 3 hours at hospitals.
That was our plan.
We only have 15 minutes left because we
needed to get back to the military checkpoint,
Uh, by 4 p.m. That was because of all the delays and including, of course, the delays.
Uh uh,
because first on the detention going in, the temporary
detention going in and definitely
the detention, uh, going out, which took a long time as I, I tell you,
more than going out more than 2.5 hours.
Uh, that process
and,
uh, again wanna say one more thing about that and and attacks on house.
so the
this of course reported to us we only could observe part of this.
But when we interviewed the
the the P CS, uh, person the next day,
uh, so he informed us that he was harassed, beaten, threatened,
and even stripped of his uniform blind folders,
hands tied behind his back and and and and treated in a degrading and
il,
uh,
manner And and once released,
he had to walk towards the south with his hands still tight
and and without with a t-shirt only and and no shoes. And there he was.
He could make a call and and get his colleagues from Pier C as in on the other side.
And then they collected him, uh, like that.
And
I think this is an issue.
This is not the first time we see delays and and and detentions. And
I want to remind everyone in three weeks after, um
uh, that was on a mission
where WH also, uh,
that mission where we, uh, brought supplies to shiv
a and and actually and no and and
help to um, refer
and and bring patients to a more safer place down south.
Um, that was on 18 November
and
the whereabouts of four people and were three of the Ministry of
Health and one PO CS staff which were detained on that trip.
They're still unknown.
And of course, the the P CS is raising this with us. And and
the Ministry of Health is raising this with us.
And I'm sure with many Ottawas their families are deeply concerned.
Their colleagues are deeply concerned and there's no updates from them since then.
There's no place on their on their where whereabouts,
uh, et cetera, And
that's simply unacceptable. Um, and
And we are deeply concerned about that.
So we hope to get some updates, uh,
on the whereabouts of these four people three from
the Ministry of Health and one P CS staff
over to you.
Thanks, Rich and I.
I know we're mindful of the time, and I know that you're a bit pressed,
so just please just, uh, put your hand up when you've got to go.
But we do have four
virtual hands that just popped up.
Uh, maybe we can just take two and then two very quickly.
Colleagues, if you could just pose your question briefly
and yes, from a FP and then Isabel from Spanish news agency. Go ahead and yes,
Yes. Hi.
Hi. Doctor Peppercorn. Uh, it's a question, actually, on the Kamal
Adan hospital that you mentioned earlier
the a bit earlier this morning, the health Ministry of the Hamas said that, uh,
the Israeli forces were were raiding these hospitals,
and we would like you to ask, um,
if you could explain if you have any information about what is going on, uh,
now in the hospital.
And if you have, uh, information of how many patients there are,
uh, still there. And if there are other kind of,
uh, people inside trapped, maybe
So any information you have about what is going on and who is inside? Thank you.
Ok, thank you. And Yes. OK. Uh, Isabel, Go ahead.
Ye Yes,
Yes, thank you very much. I am.
Uh um
you said that the FI
a hospital is barely functioning,
and, um,
I would like to know exactly, um what is the situation there?
How many staff and patients are there? Still been there?
And how? What is what is what is needed
for the for the
shifa hospital to to work again, more or less in in in a more functionally,
uh and effective way.
Thank you.
Over to your doctor.
Ok, by the way, II, I realise I've got the answer.
One question on the numbers and yes, the numbers I mentioned
were, uh, was, of course, reported to us 18,205.
Uh uh, fatalities 11 December and 49,645
injuries.
And I think from the fatalities, I think we reported as well reported over 60%
women and Children.
now, on the question on, uh, Kamala
One. and actually, all
a We get similar concerning reports,
uh, on a siege.
Um uh, attack, et cetera. We know we, uh, Kamal at one has, um
a
limited number of patients left. That's what we get reporters.
So we haven't been able to access that hospital. I want to be very clear.
That's what we get. Reports, limited number of patients.
I heard something like Twitty but
cannot confirm that,
uh, and staff.
And, um you say what we hear about a lot
one
Yeah, we heard about, um, uh, fights at the court in the courtyard, et cetera.
This is again reporters. We cannot, uh we don't have
to
offer what we get,
uh, and and and And just go to my,
um
Yes.
So I say come out at 120 critical ill patients, including, uh,
six babies on incubators.
That's what I just getting now.
And And the hospital is also sustained damages from 8 December.
Uh, whether it was, uh the power generators, uh,
actually were were hit.
Um, so we we we call this hospital as minimal, uh, functioning.
And and I think there is an, uh, update from the Ministry of Health.
It's all that's all, uh, reported. So this is all report information. The same
on
a
one. What? We now get a request. We get a request of
HO to assist
with a potential a possible evacuation of patients and and staff.
Uh, we will consider that we will discuss this. Of course, with our P CS partners.
We cannot do this alone, but we can only do this when this is properly managed.
We cannot afford I mean, like, other mission.
Like we went through to Allah
Ali or the one
, we went to, uh, to shifa.
we cannot afford that because,
uh, simply our partners our key part of PS CS so nobody can be detained.
Uh, when When they are part of a medical mission
that we cannot. Of course, we cannot afford any delays on these missions.
We have to really carefully plan this. Well, what and how
and and yeah, how we can manage that.
So we will look into that,
and and and I'm sure we will update you over the over the coming days.
Oh, and SI
A
Yeah, the SI a
question, uh,
again. So we we have to report that CIA
is
again we call barely functional that some of the dialysis patients are Becca
Shifa
and and
and
from the
from the technical point of view,
this was, of course, the
the most important referral hospital.
A lot of the infrastructure there is still functional.
Now,
uh, there is there are still some stuff
and And if it would be,
um So you ask,
How could it be operational then? Of course. First it needs to be safe around S
A. That's just that's one thing.
But why do we stress? It is so much needless
Because there are still many, many people
in the north
at the moment.
There's only Al
afi hospital,
which is, as I described,
completely, completely, utterly overwhelmed,
utterly overwhelmed. I've never seen something like that.
And then you have the other barely functional hospitals, which we just discussed.
So
Shifa
is, of course, the best option to
to start functioning again and to to expand health services in North for the people.
Most in these
over to you.
Thanks very much record.
OK, we'll take the last two questions, so we'll start with Ruth
Iglesia
Fox News. Go ahead, Ruth.
Hi. Hi. Uh, good morning. Thank you for, uh, for holding this.
So, I, I I'm very curious about the numbers that you just quoted, um, of 18,000
and 205 and,
um, especially with, uh, such chaos and such,
Uh um, you know, un uncertainty,
as you described in the hospitals and in the health system.
How? How can you confirm that these numbers are reliable?
I know that in the past, conflicts in 2014,
um, the the death count was more or less accurate.
But now we're seeing, uh, a war on the size and scale that we haven't seen
in previous conflicts. And we know that.
You know, many people have moved to the south. We know, as you mentioned the hos.
Many of the hospitals, especially in the North, are not operating as they should.
And, uh, even the officials who were trained and were
keeping good track of the numbers are no longer, uh, available. Either
they were arrested or unfortunately were killed.
So I wondered if you could
explain how you're calculating those figures
and how you are certain that they are accurate. Thank you.
Ok, thank you, Ruth. OK, last question from Su
Jingming
of China Media Group.
Thanks. Thanks very much for taking my questions.
I know that the WHO executive board adopted a resolution on Sunday last Sunday.
And does it make possible to facilitate, for example,
the review to the medical infrastructure as more hospitals,
as you said that are part partially functional know?
Thank you.
Yeah, uh, can So
let me first, uh, try to address the first question.
This is complex, and thanks for that. Uh,
I think
it was
uh, on the on the on the numbers. So we I think the WHO got a lot of questions
on the numbers, I think from the from the start, and
and again, I wanna report until a number of, uh, weeks ago.
So
how does the WHO
you know, how do we take this number in WHO? Of course, we rely in any complex,
you know,
everywhere around the world,
we rely on figures from the Ministry of Health everywhere,
and
WHO does assessments of health information
systems the so called core assessments.
And they do that every,
uh, every two years, I believe.
And and Palestine, uh,
by Palestinian territory.
If it's the West Bank or Gaza, East Jerusalem, they score very high on that
very well.
And
in our own assessments, uh,
in the past as well, we've been the fight of statistics. Death, birth, et cetera,
was always very well managed in in
in Palestine.
So that's actually one.
Maybe you read, uh, you can recall.
And secondly, I think also on our area of health information
system, for example, the vaccination coverage or, in the time of covid et cetera,
Palestine actually produced very reliable data and very good. Uh, good figures and
number of assessments have been constantly, uh, done.
Maybe you remember in the it was in the start of the of the con.
Uh, well, not in the start. It was already
and we talked then about
what was it, 8000 or 9000 deaths? Something like that.
And it was also questions. And the Ministry of Health produced this 12 page
long list with all the ID numbers and all the
and all the all all the details,
uh, on on that as well. Now,
when the conflicts of the the let's say this crisis on is ongoing,
um, until a couple of weeks ago and and want to
make 12 other points on this
in every former escalation of conflicts
the figures reported when they were assessed after
after the conflict,
they were more or less correct.
They often were actually a little bit underestimated instead of overestimated.
Even if you look at a number of UN staff killed and extrapolate on that,
you come almost to the similar,
uh, type of, uh, figures.
The last point I wanna make on this the lenses
that made a very good that you should really look at that.
And I'm sure that my colleague, uh,
statement will share that with you. They did an assessment.
I think it was 10 days ago.
And they analysed these figures as well.
And and they come to the conclusion that these figures are unfortunately, uh,
pretty much correct.
And,
uh, again, I can only describe how WHO works and and and how we work in all countries.
Now,
we already made the point that the and the Ministry
of Health as well in the last couple of weeks,
it becomes indeed impossible.
The the the system of reporting deaths
and fatalities and the health information system,
unfortunately, and all their services,
all the data servers which were all in the in the north, uh, collapsed.
And they made a point that since that time since a couple of weeks,
they're making estimations of this.
they did don't even include
the number of people,
Children, women and men under the rubble.
Now, based on all of this, including the Lancet analysis,
analysis and assessment,
I'm afraid to say that this these figures are most likely pretty correct.
And And
they might even be an underestimation.
Uh,
like I cannot say so.
That's probably all what I can say about how WHO is
taking and working in in all countries around the world.
I try to describe a little bit, uh, that that process and
and well, including the, um, the Lancet analysis, uh,
and and report on on this topic as well.
Please have a look at this and and and and
draw the conclusion for yourself
on the last point. Um,
I. I didn't get the full questions. It was a system.
Um, and I think I understand a system on functionality, etcetera. So again,
if if I'm correct,
Yeah, I didn't get the full the the the specific question.
Perhaps our colleague from CMG.
If you could perhaps restate your question because I took notes,
but I couldn't quite make it out myself.
OK, OK,
so
WHO
executive board adopted a resolution last Sunday.
So it does it make possible to facilitate to rebuild, for example, the medical infra
infrastructure?
As more hospitals are partially functional in functional,
so does it make possible,
uh, to facilitate all the rebuild of the instructor medical ins
infrastructures?
Thank you. Ok,
Yeah, of course.
That's uh, that's based on on information we receive on the grounds that and
and, of course, it's always, Uh, yeah, it's difficult to qualify.
When do you call a hospital? Partially functional or barely functional, I said.
But,
uh,
what we get now from from Kamala
one, for example, and and and from other places
that
you can only call it barely barely functional. Or reports from
Shifa.
You can only call it barely functional
and and
hardly any hospitals is what I would say fully functional. I was really impressed.
Maybe yesterday with my visit to Al
Aqsa
Hospital in the middle area.
Um
uh,
also completely overwhelmed. So everyone has 300%. Uh uh, bad capacity as
a
but still a number of their units were working, as you would expect
in a normal, functional hospital. The IC U
was really well protected as a and they you should still see there was order.
There was order in and
there were There was no chaos. I mean,
a
a hospital completely overwhelmed. Uh, and and
and unfortunately, after chaos,
because of that limited staff completely overwhelmed in
in in what was needed.
yeah, we constantly we get? Of course, all the information.
We have a whole team on the ground.
We do all these missions, Uh, always with WHO stuff whenever we deliver,
uh, essential medical supplies, Uh,
and we make it everywhere. A quick assessment as good as possible for the rest.
Of course. We have
a lot of contact with the health workers, which we have worked with for four decades,
and and And we will continue to do so
over to you.
Great. Thank you very much.
Uh, Rick, we much appreciate it as always, uh,
for sharing this update as grim as it is,
it's important that, uh, you do so with our colleagues here in Geneva. So
I like to thank you once again.
Uh, stay safe and and thanks again. And you're always welcome back here.
We still have Christian online, and I know that Christian wanted to, uh,
address a particular point.
So over to you, Christian,
I know that there are also a few questions that are pending in the chat.
Perhaps so
if you could address those, um, if if possible, over to your Christian.
All right. Uh, well, originally, I thought I wanna read out.
Uh, the the main statement.
But I think, you know, in the in the second part, uh, doctor
peppercorn actually elaborated on it. So, um, I don't wanna repeat what was said.
Hence,
uh, just let me know if you think, uh, I should, uh,
pick this up or whether it's been taken care of.
That's for our friends here.
I, I would say. I think the doctor
porn was very comprehensive.
So I addressed I think many of the points that you want to address.
But let's say if colleagues have any appended questions,
any details and to be clarified, please,
you can either pose them now to Christian or online bilaterally.
The afterwards
I think there was one question, uh, about, um
if it was Kamal
Adwan Hospital that was referred to,
um if I'm not mistaken,
uh, there's a question there, but, um,
yeah, perhaps we could liaise with his colleagues.
If you can liaise with Christian directly that that
would perhaps be the best way to pursue this
because John's question was addressed.
Uh, the names of the two hospitals I don't have at my hand right now.
Um, and and I agree, Rolando, I think we and I should not add now more than what he said
again, I think that the statement was taken care of. I think that,
for now covers it. Thank you.
Yeah. Thanks very much, Christian. I appreciate you being here as well.
And and maybe just staying on subject, um, again,
to remind you of the updates we continue to share with you, including the UN W update
with some updated statistics, Uh,
that we shared with you yesterday as well as the usual, uh,
update, which comes out on a daily basis.
Please do consult that, uh, for the latest, uh, figures, Uh, on the,
uh, difficult situation, Uh, in the OPT.
So I think that is it for our briefers, but, uh, before we conclude,
I just have a few updates as noted, The reason why we're doing this virtual.
It's obviously to ease all our work,
namely because of the the big event taking place here in in Geneva.
The human rights, 75th, uh, Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
75th anniversary events.
You will have received the statements
of the High Commissioner earlier today he's addressing He
addressed the opening of the high level event this morning
with several dignitaries to consult, uh,
the updates shared with you by the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
in terms of the Secretary General.
As you well know, uh, the Secretary General, Antonio Guterres,
is, uh, currently in Dubai, where he's attending the, uh, cop.
Now. He did speak with your colleagues of the press yesterday,
where he did say that now is the time for maximum ambition and maximum flexibility.
He urged ministers and negotiators to move beyond the arbitrary red lines,
entrenched positions and blocking tactics to
come up with a meaningful, uh, result of the cop meeting.
Uh, the meet the cop, uh, wraps up today, and the Secretary general will remain
in Dubai for the closing today.
I just wanted to point out, uh,
just a couple of other statements that we shared with you or rather,
one in particular on South Sudan, an issue which we have focused on in the past.
And we certainly want to keep that sharp focus
on the very difficult situation in south Sudan.
Specifically, the violence
in a B a,
uh,
members of the Security Council and the statement from
the Security Council that we shared with you.
Members of the Security Council strongly condemn the violence in war
up state in south Sudan
and southern A B, a administrative area,
uh,
that has claimed approximately 75 lives in November last month and 10 lives already
this month. So very worrying situation in South Sudan.
So to do take a look at that statement,
I should note that the Security Council later today
in New York is actually a meeting holding a public meeting at 3
p.m. New York time on the situation in Sudan and South Sudan.
I also wanted to just highlight a statement that we shared with you yesterday.
It was, uh, from the special representative of the Secretary General, Binta Kaa
on the Democratic Republic of Congo
on the monusco mandate, the UN peacekeeping operation.
So that was a statement that she delivered to the Security Council,
which we shared with you
in terms of meetings. No human rights treaty body meetings taking place this week.
Of course, the human rights 75th
uh, event
H HR 75 events is taking place started yesterday and continues today.
Another big meeting happening tomorrow,
which you well know about is a global refugee forum which will take place at
Palexpo
here in Geneva.
And it's taking place, uh, from tomorrow through Friday,
it's convened by five states, uh, namely Colombia,
France, Japan, Jordan and Uganda
and co-hosted by the Swiss government.
You've have a lot of information at your disposal.
Um, on the GRF.
In terms of press conferences, we have two press conferences today,
one taking place in about an hour and a half from now at 1 p.m.
from the, uh, permanent mission of Israel.
There's a stakeout, Uh, the ambassador, Ambassador
Meav
Ayon Shahar,
the
permanent representative of Israel to the United Nations in Geneva
will be speaking at 1 p.m. at the stakeout,
located behind room 20
then at that same location at 6. 30 approximately 6. 30.
Uh, this evening we have the high Commissioner of Human Rights, Volker
Turk,
who will, um, share some closing remarks.
Uh, with with you at the end of this two day high level event marking the 75th, 75th, 7.
Excuse me? 75 years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
One last press conference I wanted to flag is that, uh,
which is taking place on Thursday, the 14th of December
at 1030
in connection with the global Refugee Forum. It's taking place at P Expo.
It's the European Union press conference at 1030 at P Expo
and it's about the E U's resettlement pledge for 2024 2025.
And we have the EU commissioner for home affairs,
Ilva
Johansson, who will be
briefing you
there, uh,
Thursday at 1030.
And that is all I have.
If you have questions for me, I have a a couple of hands up John, go ahead.
Yes, it's, um it's, um,
a logistical question to Christian. I was wondering Christian if, uh,
Doctor Tedros will be addressing the high level meeting
of the human Rights uh, Council on the 75th anniversary today, given
the attacks on health is, uh, front and centre on the world stage.
And the right to health is one of the core rights
of human rights.
And secondly,
if he's planning to hold a bilateral meeting with the Secretary General
in Geneva tomorrow
concerning the situation in
Gaza,
thank you.
Thank you, John. Um, I don't have any info on that.
I will need to check and get back to you.
OK, fair enough. Thank you for that, Christian.
Uh, Lisa, please.
Thanks. Uh, Kirs.
And I'm putting you on the hot
hot seat again.
in reference to what I just saw in the chat, if you could
please elaborate on, uh, the situation in the
Kamal
Adwan hospital. Uh, and, uh, the chat says that it's forcefully being
evacuated. Could you elaborate upon this? Uh, why is that happening?
Uh, since when?
Uh, is it happening right now? And, uh, what are the consequences for the patients?
That and the staff that are inside the hospital. Thank you.
Yeah, thank you very much.
Uh, Lisa, I don't have much more than what I put in the chat,
because that's what we received.
As, uh, doctor
porn was speaking.
Uh, he was, uh,
obviously talking about, uh, Kamal a
one as well.
And as he was speaking,
we received that the Ministry of Health is reporting
just now that the hospital is being forcefully evacuated.
There are currently 68 patients inside the hospital,
um, 18 intensive care unit patients and including six
nets. That's all I have.
That's reports from the Ministry of health, which I'm just forwarding,
uh, basically here,
What that means. Uh
uh. It means just that another another one,
of these, uh, these, uh,
unnecessary. And, uh, evacuations.
Uh, and it's again putting another hospital out of use. It's again putting,
um, the last, uh, patients who need help out on the street. So, yes.
Uh, but again, um, I cannot comment really on this,
as these are figures that just came in,
I think, uh, Lisa, is there a quick follow up
and John as well. But Lisa, go ahead.
Yeah, there is. Um, could you remind me, um
what are there two,
uh, functioning or barely functioning hospitals in, uh, northern Gaza.
Right now, I've I've forgotten,
and, uh, also has,
uh, has, uh, uh, uh, This particular hospital been under siege in the past. Is there,
uh, any indication that, uh, Hamas is somehow or other,
uh, implicated in in, um
uh, this situation. Thank you.
Well, thanks, Lisa I. I won't add much on what Doctor
Pong just notice would have been great to to ask him. Uh, So he reported that we have,
um, one partially functioning he
hospital in the north and 10 in the south if if I listened Well,
uh, and again, the the important word here in this is partially functioning.
Uh, this is there's nothing that,
uh, that that is fully functioning as we would need it.
You also elaborated that we we've been talking normally about 1500 beds available.
Although that is a fluctuating, a
fluctuating figure as well.
And that, um, the need is much higher, of course,
way higher and way higher than the 3500 beds we used
to have in Gaza before the hostilities before the war.
Um, now, with injuries with trauma, with amputations with more wounds, uh,
the the needs are
multiplied.
I'll leave it at that.
Thanks. Thanks, Christian. Uh, I'm sorry you're not off the hook just yet.
Uh, I know John. You have a question, but there is and yes, poses a question.
If you can clarify. From what hospital did you get a request for help for evacuation.
And when exactly did you get that? I don't know if you have insight on that.
So that's the, uh, come
out at one hospital we're talking about. So the these, uh, I put it in the chat as well.
The It's the an update that the Ministry of Health gives on the, uh,
come
out at one hospital just now.
and I That's all I have right now.
Um, that means I have no further update on what requests. What's going on?
That's the only update I have,
Uh, on top of what? Doctor Por
has just said
OK, Sorry. Uh, just last two questions. If you stay with us another minute, John.
And you know if you can do
that,
Yeah, um,
it could be helpful for us if, um,
the, uh, emergencies unit of WHO could provide us with a list of the, um, uh,
hospitals and health facilities
that have had to be evacuated because of, uh,
M,
uh, orders by the ID F forces.
That would be helpful for us because we're getting lost in all these numbers,
uh, by name
and the date
and the amount of patients that were forced to be relocated. Thank you very much.
Yeah, Well, well noted John.
Uh, and yes, but mind you, this is also a fluctuating thing, right?
Uh, sometimes, uh,
uh, hospital gets evacuated, and they're then they're allowed to run a ward again,
and then it gets again evacuated.
So this is,
uh, the way I understand There are no very few absolute numbers here, but yes,
I'll I'll post that.
Put that forward.
Thank you so much, Christian.
And then this last comment or a question, perhaps, Nina,
I suppose that's also for Christian.
Go ahead.
Uh, yeah. Thank you very much. Uh, I just want to
So I think, uh, ANAs
was asking about, um, a comment made by
Dr Pep
Porn,
Um, saying that WHO had received a request for assistance, uh, to evacuate, Uh,
from what we understood, And we were wondering from what hospital that was to
if you could clarify that,
um and then also on Kamal Adwan.
I was wondering, I've seen that it was, uh,
functioning as a maternity hospital and that, um,
and that there are, uh, mothers who may have been also killed in, uh,
in bombings there.
If that's something that you've heard and what
your reaction to that might be as well.
Thank you.
Yeah. On on the second part, I have no further information to what? Uh what?
Uh uh, I just shared or what the paper
con shared on on the hospital, which she talked about.
I'll need to check back to be absolutely sure.
Ok, uh, on that note. Thank you very much, Christian. And of course, we will.
Christian will.
We will continue to update you on all these, uh, figures, as we have been doing.
So thank you very, very much for joining us.
All of you. And a special thanks to Doctor Peppercorn and Christian.
Um, we will return, uh, to the hybrid format on Friday for the next regular briefing.
Until then, have a good afternoon and good rest of your week. Thank you.