Palestinian Health Ministry stops coordination with the WHO in the process of evacuating the wounded and medical staff from Gaza hospitals
The Palestinian Ministry of Health announced today the cessation of coordination with the World Health Organization in the file of evacuating the wounded and medical staff from Gaza hospitals, until the circumstances are clarified with regard to the Israeli occupation’s detention of the director of Al-Shifa Medical Complex together with other personnel during the evacuation of the complex.
The Ministry said in a statement today: “The United Nations informed us of coordination with the World Health Organization to evacuate those in the Al-Shifa Medical Complex, which is being subjected to the siege, storming, and destruction by the Israeli occupation forces which are depriving those in Al-Shifa of food, water, medicine, electricity, and security. Accordingly, a convoy from the United Nations, represented by the Health Organization, moved yesterday to evacuate a number of patients and medical staff who were subjected to the most horrific Nazi practices and starvation within the walls of the complex.
The Ministry said in a statement today: “The United Nations informed us of coordination with the World Health Organization to evacuate those in the Al-Shifa Medical Complex, which is being subjected to the siege, storming, and destruction by the Israeli occupation forces which are depriving those in Al-Shifa of food, water, medicine, electricity, and security. Accordingly, a convoy from the United Nations, represented by the Health Organization, moved yesterday to evacuate a number of patients and medical staff who were subjected to the most horrific Nazi practices and starvation within the walls of the complex.
The Ministry added: “But we were surprised that this convoy was stopped at the occupation checkpoint separating the northern and southern Gaza Strip for about 7 hours, during which the Israeli forces dealt with severe violence with the patients, companions, and medical staff, and arrested a number of them including the director of the Shifa Medical Complex, Dr. Muhammad Abu Salmiya.”
The Ministry explained that the World Health Organization has not yet submitted any report to clarify what happened, including the numbers and names of detainees, indicating that the inability to communicate with Al-Shifa Medical Complex made it impossible to know who was arrested.
The Ministry said: Coordination has been suspended with the World Health Organization in evacuating the remaining wounded and medical teams until a report is submitted so as to clarify what happened while awaiting the release of the detainees.
The Ministry explained that the World Health Organization has not yet submitted any report to clarify what happened, including the numbers and names of detainees, indicating that the inability to communicate with Al-Shifa Medical Complex made it impossible to know who was arrested.
The Ministry said: Coordination has been suspended with the World Health Organization in evacuating the remaining wounded and medical teams until a report is submitted so as to clarify what happened while awaiting the release of the detainees.
NR