Ramallah (UNA/WAFA) – The Palestinian Ministry of Health confirmed that the Gaza Strip and the West Bank are facing a health catastrophe due to the ongoing Israeli aggression, the closure of crossings, and the tightening of the blockade. This has led to a near-total collapse of the health system in Gaza, and placed hospitals and medical centers in the West Bank under tremendous pressure in light of the ongoing Israeli escalation against Palestinian cities and camps.
“Hospitals in the Gaza Strip are operating at double their capacity, amid a continuous influx of wounded and injured patients,” the ministry said in a statement issued Wednesday. “The health system is also suffering from a severe shortage of medicines, medical supplies, and fuel needed to operate medical equipment and generators. The direct targeting of health facilities has put more than 80% of hospitals and medical centers out of service, while the few remaining facilities are suffering from severe overcrowding, a severe shortage of medical staff, and the impossibility of performing urgent surgeries due to the lack of anesthesia and basic supplies.”
She pointed out that the Israeli occupation's continued targeting of defenseless civilians in camps, homes, and shelters requires urgent international action to rescue the wounded and injured, and to reopen the crossings to allow the entry of medical supplies, fuel, and equipment necessary to save what remains of the health system in Palestine.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health held the Israeli occupation fully responsible for these crimes targeting innocent civilians. It called on the United Nations, the World Health Organization, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and all international and human rights organizations to take immediate action and pressure the occupation to open the crossings and secure humanitarian corridors for the transport of the wounded and the entry of medical aid without delay.
In the West Bank, the Palestinian Ministry of Health stated that "hospitals are under increasing pressure due to repeated attacks on Palestinian cities by occupation forces, which target medical personnel and impede ambulances from reaching the injured. Restrictions on movement also significantly impede the delivery of medical aid and essential supplies, further exacerbating the already dire health situation."
The ministry noted that it, as part of the Palestinian government as a whole, is facing a stifling financial crisis due to the Israeli occupation government's withholding of Palestinian tax revenues. It added that the financial crisis threatens the lives of thousands of patients, particularly those with cancer, kidney dialysis, heart disease, and chronic illnesses.
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