International medical non-governmental organizations warned on Tuesday about the health situation in the Gaza Strip, which has been shelled by the Israeli army since a Hamas attack on Saturday, calling for the creation of a humanitarian corridor to support the medical response and respect for humanitarian law.
“The situation is catastrophic (…) I don’t think anyone is safe in Gaza,” lamented Sarah Chateau, head of the Palestinian program of Doctors Without Borders. MSF has employed 300 Palestinian staff and 20 foreigners for more than 20 years. “We have moved some of our teams to the UN building. The explosions were so massive that the risks were too great,” she added.
Thousands of deaths in a few days
The Israeli army has been bombing the Gaza Strip, controlled by Hamas since 2007, since Saturday in response to an unprecedented offensive by the Palestinian Islamist movement against the Israeli state. In four days, the war has already claimed the lives of thousands of people.
Israel, which announced the evacuation of border areas, imposed a “total blockade” of the Gaza Strip and ordered an “immediate shutdown” of water supplies to the Palestinian enclave after suspending water, electricity and food supplies.
“How long can our teams hold out? »
Hamas, which has controlled the small area since 2007, is threatening to execute the hostages kidnapped in Israel, about 150 people including children, women and young people seized while participating in a music festival.
“In a complete siege, how long can our teams hold out? We need a humanitarian corridor to support medical assistance, deliver equipment, replace teams on the ground,” Sarah Chateau demanded. The non-governmental organization Doctors of the World, which has about thirty staff in the West Bank and about twenty in the Gaza Strip, also raised the alarm.
“Transportation of patients is reduced due to the blockade and the intensity of bombing. Our team is playing for their survival, it is very difficult for them to do their job,” said Dr. Jean-François Corti, vice-president of the NGO, recalling that “80% of the population depends on humanitarian aid.” to help “.
“We must ensure respect for international humanitarian law, the delivery of medicines and the protection of civilians,” he added. On Wednesday, new Israeli raids hit the Gaza Strip, partly reduced to a field of rubble, in response to a bloody attack launched by Hamas.
Source: Le Parisien
I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.
