Gaza Strip: Israel Prevents WHO Mission to Hospitals

On Thursday, a World Health Organization (WHO) mission to hospitals in northern Gaza was suspended after the Israeli army held it at a checkpoint for hours.

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According to the report by the organization's official in the area, the UN health agency group was on its way to Al Ahli and Al Sahaba hospitals in the northern Gaza Strip with fuel, medical equipment, food and water.

They left between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. local time on Wednesday but returned about eight hours later after being held up at a checkpoint, the official said.

"Too many missions are prevented, delayed or denied," said Dr Richard Peerperkorn, explaining that they are still waiting for permission to visit the totally destroyed Al Shifa hospital, where patients need to be evacuated.

The WHO denounced that the mechanisms of deconfliction (coordination with the combatants), which for decades have allowed aid to be delivered in other wars, are not being respected in this case.

This is normal practice under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and ensure that aid gets through despite the conflict, Peerperkorn said.

"The point is that a responsible military operation always seeks to protect civilians and ensure that they have access to necessities: shelter, food and medicine," said the organization's director of emergencies, Mike Ryan.

Also today, WHO director Dr Tedros Adhanom Gebreyesus deplored the killing of seven aid workers from the NGO World Central Kitchen, saying their vehicles were clearly identified and should never have been attacked.