Opening remarks, UN Palais briefing, 21 December 2023
Dr Richard Peeperkorn, WHO Representative on the occupied Palestinian territory
Sean Casey, WHO Emergency Medical Teams coordinator
Yesterday, 20 December 2023, in another high-risk joint mission, a team from the World Health Organization (WHO) and other UN partners, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the United Mine Action Service (UNMAS) and the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS), reached Al Ahli Arab hospital and Al Shifa hospital in the north of Gaza.
The initial plan was to deliver fuel to both facilities, but had to shift to supplies only due to lack of safety guarantees in place and clearance issues.
Our teams delivered 7 pallets of medical supplies for surgery and wound treatment, supplies to support women during birth delivery, IV fluids and medicines. They witnessed the impact of the recent attacks on both health facilities and the level of destruction.
Our staff are running out of words to describe the beyond catastrophic situation facing remaining patients and health workers.
WHO had visited Al Ahli Arab hospital over a week ago and it already looked like utter chaos, completely congested and a disaster zone but it was still partly operational and there were still operating theatres and two health specialists were constantly managing surgeries. Now, Al Ahli is a shell of a hospital. Until two days ago, it was the only hospital where injured people could get surgery in northern Gaza and it was overwhelmed with patients needing emergency care. But there are no operating theatres anymore due