Medical services in Gaza on ‘verge of collapse’: UN official

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Hindhu

United Nations, August 3, 2014
Updated: August 3, 2014 10:55 IST
Medical services in Gaza on ‘verge of collapse’: UN official

At least 1,676 Palestinians killed and nearly 9,000 injured in the Israeli offensive


After weeks of intense fighting, the Gaza strip appears headed towards a “health and humanitarian disaster” with medical services and facilities for nearly 1.8 million Palestinians “on the verge of collapse”, according to senior UN officials in the region. At least 1,676 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed and nearly 9,000 injured in the Israeli offensive on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip that started on July 8.

Medical services and facilities in the Gaza Strip are “on the verge of collapse” and health disaster of widespread proportions is rapidly unfolding as the conflict grinds on, UN Humanitarian Coordinator in the occupied Palestinian territory James Rawley said.

“We are now looking at a health and humanitarian disaster,” Mr. Rawley said, adding that “the fighting must stop immediately“. Joining Mr. Rawley in sounding the alarm about the looming health catastrophe as a result of the ongoing violence are Director of Operations in the Gaza Strip for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Robert Turner and acting Head of Office of the UN World Health Organization (WHO) operations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip Ambrogio Manenti.

The officials expressed grave concern regarding the lack of protection for medical staff and facilities, and the deteriorating access to emergency health services for the 1.8 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

After three weeks of Israeli offensive, Gaza’s medical services and facilities are on the verge of collapse, with one-third of hospitals, 14 primary healthcare clinics and 29 Palestinian Red Crescent and Ministry of Health ambulances having been damaged in the fighting.




Read more: http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/medical-services-in-gaza-on-verge-of-collapse-un-official/article6276960.ece?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS_Syndication

[msongs]

1. mission accomplished nt

[CountAllVotes]

2. ...

[alp227]

3. Technically the source is the Press Trust of India

think of it as India's version of America's AP.

[ReRe]

4. Thanks for the report, Judi Lynn n/t

[Uncle Joe]

5. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Judi Lynn.

[hack89]

6. Good time to stop the rockets. Nt

[Violet_Crumble]

7. It doesn't look like Israel's in any hurry to stop firing them n/t

[ChairmanAgnostic]

8. You are named properly

If you can read with an open mind, do yourself a favor

http://www.juancole.com/2014/08/zionists-solution-palestinian.html

If not, then there is no hope for you. Your blood lust and refusal to see past Israel's lies are impossible to reason with.

[hack89]

9. Has nothing to do with Hamas' ability to stop shooting rockets

Last edited Sun Aug 3, 2014, 09:34 AM - Edit history (1)

They can stop in a second. It is almost as if this this the result they were hoping and planning for all along. Talk about blood lust.

[cpwm17]

10. Ignore n/t

[hack89]

11. A badge of honor in this case. Nt

[ellenrr]

12. I appreciate the post, but the tragedy is

that you can go back to 2009 or 2012 and read the same:
"collapse of medical system".

So if it collapsed then what is it now?