The World Health Organization (WHO) has reached the northern Gaza Strip to deliver gasoline and equipment to Al-Ahli Hospital for the first time since May 13, its boss announced on Wednesday.
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“Al-Ahly Hospital is caring for twice as many people as it was designed for, it has no surgical equipment and no salary for the staff,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote on the social network.
For now, “no major surgery can be done in the evening because of the lack of specialized personnel,” explains the director-general, adding that WHO is trying to deploy a team to the site.
In difficult conditions and “intense hostilities”, the WHO mission was able to deliver 15,000 liters of fuel – essential for the hospital’s generators and power generation – but also 14 medical beds, medicines and shock equipment to meet the needs of 1,500 people.
The mission also made it possible to transport 5 Palestinian Red Crescent ambulances to help restore health services in the north of the narrow Palestinian territory.
Trips to the north of the Gaza Strip have been made more difficult by a shortage of gasoline, but also by destroyed roads, after heavy Israeli military bombardment and fighting scenes after the Islamist movement Hamas’ unprecedented attack on Israeli territory on Oct. 7. The ruins and the lack of safe access, Dr Tedros underlines.
Israeli military checkpoints also cause delays, according to the WHO.
“Due to a delay at one checkpoint, the mission could not reach another nearby hospital,” the WHO boss said.
According to data from the Health Ministry of the Hamas administration, the Israeli army vowed to destroy Hamas after October 7 and launched an offensive.
More than 1,189 people, mostly civilians, were killed in attacks by Palestinian Islamic Movement commandos who infiltrated from the Gaza Strip, according to a new count carried out by AFP on Tuesday, based on the latest official figures.
