World Health Organization spokeswoman Margaret Harris said that she had never before witnessed the systematic destruction of the health system as is the case in the Gaza Strip, which has been subjected to Israeli aggression for a year.
Harris added in an interview with Anadolu Agency, that the health care system has been almost completely destroyed, and health care facilities in Gaza have been put at risk due to material damage.
She added, “All buildings were damaged, and there is almost no hospital or health care center that was not damaged.”
She pointed out that hospitals are having difficulty finding fuel, and health centers do not have enough electricity to provide life-saving services.
She stated that all medical supplies are running out. It is very difficult to deliver these supplies to Gaza.
Israeli obstacles
Harris pointed out that many WHO relief missions were banned or rejected (by Israel) during this phase.
She said that relief teams waited at checkpoints for hours and were unable to reach where they wanted to go.
She stressed that hundreds of health care workers were killed during the Israeli aggression, noting that these people were only working to save lives and were not a party to the war.
Harris reported that they are working to rebuild or restore destroyed health centers in Gaza, but it is very difficult to bring the necessary materials from abroad due to a lack of trust and the assumption that they are being used for another purpose.
It estimated that an initial budget of $220 million was needed to reconstruct and restore health facilities in Gaza.
She continued: We cannot begin a formal and proper reconstruction process until a ceasefire is reached.
Failure of the international community
Harris expressed her belief that what the international community failed in Gaza was the impossibility of reaching a political solution.
She added, “I have never seen such systematic destruction before.” This happened even though we made clear that destroying hospitals was unacceptable and that they should not be targeted.
She stressed that the only reason for the continuation of the health system is the exceptional determination of health care workers in Gaza.
Harris recalled that she spent most of her career working to vaccinate children, provide services that ensure their survival, and help adults become fully protected individuals.
She pointed out that as a mother and grandmother, she feels very bad when she sees a child in pain, in need, or losing his life in Gaza.
She explained that she often cries over what is happening in Gaza, where there is massive destruction and child victims.
Since the start of the Israeli aggression, Israel has prevented the entry of humanitarian, medical, and fuel aid, except for a small amount of it provided to international institutions, and it does not meet the needs of citizens.
In a previous statement to Anadolu Agency, the Director-General of the Ministry of Health in Gaza, Munir Al-Bursh, said that since the beginning of the war (against Gaza), dozens of health institutions have been damaged, more than 986 health personnel and medical specialists have been martyred, and at least 310 have been arrested.
He continued: The occupation’s continued targeting of hospitals and health centers has led to about 23 hospitals out of 38 government and private hospitals being out of service, while 15 of them are operating partially at the present time.
He pointed out that 80 out of 90 health centers were completely destroyed by Israeli targeting and were out of service, in addition to the destruction of more than 130 ambulances.