Israeli shelling has hit hospitals in the Gaza Strip several times, accusing Hamas of using them “for terrorist purposes.” AP Photo/Mohammed Dahman
On Thursday (25/1), Israel accused the World Health Organization of “unlawful conspiracy” with Hamas, saying she ignored Israeli evidence that the Palestinian organization was using Gaza hospitals “for terrorist purposes”.
Speaking at a meeting of the WHO executive board, Israel’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Meirav Eilon Shahar, accused Hamas of “the militarization of the entire urban area of the Gaza Strip as part of a premeditated strategy.”
“These are undeniable facts that WHO has repeatedly chosen to ignore. We are not talking about incompetence here. We are talking about collusion.”he asserted. Each of the hospitals investigated by the Israeli army in Gaza found evidence that they were used by Hamas “for terrorist purposes” – he said in his post on the platform X.
According to the Ambassador, WHO “knew that hostages were being held in hospitals and that terrorists were operating there.” “Even when WHO was presented with physical evidence of what was happening underground and on the surface – weapons, general staffs, locked rooms – it chose to turn a blind eye to it, endangering those it was supposed to protect.”he continued.
“Let’s choose peace”
Earlier on Thursday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyes tearfully spoke at a meeting of the organization about the situation in Gaza. In a post on Platform X, he wrote that “a ceasefire should have been reached a long time ago,” adding: “There is a solution. All it takes is the will. Let’s choose peace.”
The ceasefire in #Gaza is long overdue.
26,000 people have died – 70% women & children.
8,000 missing.
64,000 injured.
1.7 million displaced.Sick not getting services.
Outbreaks & hunger spreading.
Health system on its knees.The solution exists. It's only the will that is…
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) January 25, 2024
A ceasefire in Gaza is long overdue. 26,000 people died – 70% women and children. 8,000 are missing. 64,000 injured. 1.7 million displaced. The sick are not getting help. Outbreaks and famines spread. The healthcare system is on its knees. There is a solution. All you need is will. Let’s choose peace.
Hamas carried out the attacks from an Indonesian hospital in the northern Gaza Strip and the army found five hostages dead in an underground tunnel, Shahar said. He claims that on October 7, several hostages were taken through the main entrance of the Radissi Children’s Hospital and held in its basement. “At Kamal Antoine Hospital, 80 terrorists were handed over to soldiers, and hidden weapons were found in incubators,” he complained.
The Gaza war began after Hamas launched an October 7 attack on Israeli territory that killed 1,140 people, most of them civilians. About 250 people were kidnapped and taken to Gaza.
More than 26,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have been killed and more than 8,000 missing, according to the Hamas government, as well as the UN and UNICEF. The number of people injured exceeded 64,000, and more than 1.7 million Palestinians were forced to flee their homes.
Allegations have not been confirmed
To date, WHO has not confirmed Israeli claims that tunnels are being built under hospitals and used as Hamas command centers. An agency spokesman, asked about the issue on December 21, said the WHO was “not in a position to review how each hospital is used” because its role is to “monitor, analyze and report.” “We are not an investigative agency”“Richard Pepperhorn, WHO representative for the occupied Palestinian territory, said at the time.
10 reasons why the war in Gaza must stop
🚨deaths
🚨injuries
🚨people displaced
🚨scarce water
🚨food insecurity
🚨partially functioning hospitals
🚨diseases
🚨no medicines
🚨limited primary health care facilities
🚨mental health needs are soaringMore information ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/5f1CqmDbaz
— WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (@WHOEMRO) January 25, 2024
10 reasons why the war in Gaza must end
- death
- wounded people
- displaced persons
- water scarcity
- food insecurity
- partially functioning hospitals
- illnesses
- lack of medications
- limited number of primary health care facilities
- The need for mental health care is growing.
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