WHO says 1,140 attacks on healthcare in Palestinian territory since October 2023
Since October last year, 1,140 attacks on healthcare have been verified in the occupied Palestinian territory – 516 in Gaza and 624 in the occupied West Bank, the World Health Organization says.
In a post on X, the UN agency said: “In emergencies, attacks on health care prevent people from accessing health services when they need them the most.
“Health should be always protected everywhere.”
WHO condemns Israeli attacks on healthcare facilities in Gaza and Lebanon
Regional WHO chief Hanan Balkhy says the targeting of healthcare workers and facilities in the ongoing Israeli war in Gaza and Lebanon “cannot continue to be a defining feature of conflicts”.
Speaking at a news conference in Cairo, Balkhy reiterated the importance of protecting hospitals, clinics and workers in Gaza and Lebanon, saying up to 1,000 healthcare staff have lost their lives in Gaza and 77 in Lebanon in the past year.
“More evacuation orders have been issued in the past few days, and the strength of Gaza’s healthcare workers is dwindling,” she said, adding that Gaza was one of the most dangerous places for the UN to operate.
On Lebanon, Balkhy said there had been dozens of attacks on healthcare facilities there too.
“Basic healthcare infrastructure has been severely impacted with the organisation verifying 36 attacks on healthcare facilities since last October,” she said.
