The World Health Organization (WHO) announced today that it participated in a joint United Nations mission to deliver health supplies to Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza and to assess the situation there.
In a statement, the organization detailed the delivery of medicines, surgical equipment, orthopedic surgery tools, anesthetics, and drugs to the hospital, which is currently operating at a minimal capacity.
The statement highlighted the extremely challenging conditions faced by the medical staff.
The WHO confirmed that tens of thousands of displaced people sheltering in the hospital building require urgent provision of food, water, and shelter.
The statement also noted that only four out of the 24 hospitals in northern Gaza are partially or limitedly functional since the onset of the war.
It emphasized the urgent need to rehabilitate Al-Shifa Hospital to serve those trapped in the “circle of death, destruction, hunger, and disease.”
Al-Shifa Hospital is the largest medical complex in the Gaza Strip. It has often been at the forefront in dealing with casualties and medical emergencies resulting from the ongoing conflict in the region.
The Gaza Strip has been facing a prolonged humanitarian crisis exacerbated by repeated conflicts, blockades, and economic difficulties. This has severely impacted infrastructure, including health facilities.
