Tel Aviv: The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) temporarily suspended food distribution in Rafah, WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has asked Israel to lift blockade on medical supplies into Gaza, saying nearly 700 seriously ill patients are stuck in a war zone.
The reasons given were supply shortages and the security situation.
The Israeli military operation was continuing in Rafah on the border with Egypt, particularly in the east of the city.
A military spokesman reported on Tuesday that terrorist structures had once again been destroyed and underground weapons caches discovered.
According to Israeli information, 403 lorries carrying aid arrived in the Gaza Strip on Monday.
Since the beginning of the war, the Israeli authorities say more than 572,000 tons of aid have been delivered.
The WHO Director-General told a press briefing in Geneva on Tuesday, “Crossings from Egypt into Gaza have remained closed for two weeks, cutting off the primary pipeline for emergency health supplies into Gaza.”
Tedros described the situation in Gaza as “beyond catastrophic,” adding that intense hostilities near Gaza’s hospitals have compromised their ability to provide medical care and made it harder for patients to reach, Xinhua news agency reported.
As only two functional hospitals are remaining in northern Gaza, the WHO Chief said it is imperative to ensure their ability to deliver health services.
However, he also lamented that the UN’s health agency cannot sustain its lifesaving support to hospitals and the population without more aid flowing into Gaza.
The WHO and its partners have managed to deliver small amounts of fuel to hospitals in recent days, but this falls far short of the large quantity of fuel that is needed each day for health operations.
Follow on Twitter | Posted by Marziya Sharif | 
