UN Security Council Urgently Discusses Worsening Situation in Gaza
The UN Security Council convened an urgent discussion yesterday to address the escalating war in Gaza and the dire condition of hospitals in the Gaza Strip. The meeting began with a minute of silence to honor the lives lost on both sides, but quickly turned contentious.
The Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, shocked the council by stating, “Every ten minutes, a child is killed in Gaza.” He also revealed that half of the 36 hospitals in Gaza and two-thirds of health centers are not operational, leaving the healthcare system overwhelmed and unable to handle the influx of wounded and sick individuals.
Dr. Ghebreyesus further condemned the ongoing attacks on health services in both Gaza and the West Bank, as well as in Israel. He called on Israel to restore essential services such as electricity, water, and fuel, and urged both sides to adhere to international humanitarian law.
However, Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, vehemently criticized the World Health Organization, accusing the organization of rewarding Hamas’ strategy of exploiting hospitals. He claimed that Israel is actively working to establish field hospitals and provide medical aid to Gaza, demonstrating Israel’s commitment to the well-being of Gazans.
The meeting also saw a heated exchange on Twitter, with Ambassador Erdan questioning the Security Council’s focus on Gaza and urging the council to address Hamas’ deliberate attacks on Israeli hospitals.
The urgent discussion at the UN Security Council underscored the increasingly dire situation in Gaza and the urgent need for international intervention to alleviate the suffering and provide essential medical services to those in need.