“The world cannot remain silent while hospitals that should be safe places become the scene of death, destruction and despair,” they emphasize. The EU has called on Israel to exercise “maximum restraint” in response to attacks and fighting in hospital areas.
Several UN agencies have called for one “urgent international action” in response to the “attacks on hospitals” in the context of the Israeli military offensive on the Gaza Strip.
The regional directors of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF), body dedicated to sexual and reproductive health, have declared themselves “shocked” due to reports of deaths in Gaza, including children.
Notably, the WHO has confirmed 137 attacks on health services in Gaza, killing 521 and injuring 686, including 16 deaths and 38 injuries in healthcare workers. “The world cannot remain silent while hospitals that should be safe places become the scene of death, destruction and despair,” the regional directors have argued.
“Attacks on medical facilities and civilians are unacceptable, a violation of international law (…). The right to seek medical care should never be denied, especially in times of crisis,” they warned.
For all these reasons, they call for “decisive international action” to ensure an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire,” prevent further deaths and “preserve what is left of Gaza’s healthcare system.”
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has expressed concern about the safety of staff and patients at Al Shifa Hospital, the main hospital in the Gaza Strip, where patients are dying due to the inability to perform surgical procedures due to the lack of medical resources. fuel to power the electrical generators. Two of the babies in intensive care died this Saturday due to a lack of power to power the health center’s incubators.
The EU asks Israel for “maximum containment” in hospital areas
The EU’s High Representative for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, has called on Israel to exercise “maximum restraint” in response to the attacks and fighting in hospital areas of the Gaza Strip.
“International humanitarian law stipulates that hospitals, medical supplies and civilians in hospitals must be protected (…). In this context, we urge Israel to exercise maximum restraint to ensure the protection of civilians,” Borrell said. official statement.
Borrell also condemns “the use of hospitals and civilians as human shields” by Hamas. “Civilians must be able to leave the combat zone. These hostilities are severely affecting hospitals and causing a terrible number of casualties among civilians and medical personnel,” he stressed.
Source: EITB
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
