World Health Organization Condemns Delay in Aid Entry to Gaza

Geneva - Afaq News - The World Health Organization announced that the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza is experiencing "delay after delay," condemning a "chronic shortage" of medical supplies.

The representative of the World Health Organization in the Palestinian territories, Reinhelde van de Vird, stated that the health situation in the Gaza Strip "remains extremely catastrophic," while none of its hospitals are operating at full capacity.

She told reporters in Geneva, in statements made from Jerusalem: "Insufficient amounts of humanitarian aid are entering Gaza, and certainly not enough to effectively expand and restore health services."

She pointed out that the Israeli approval system for the entry of medical supplies and other humanitarian aid poses a major obstacle. She said, "It is a cumbersome process that takes a long time with no guaranteed results."

According to the latest analyses from the World Health Organization, large quantities of medical supplies are waiting for permission to enter for an average of 74 days, van de Vird said, adding that if this does not happen, "we will start this long and complicated process all over again."

The approval system is constantly changing with the introduction of new rules.

Van de Velde pointed out that essential medical supplies commonly used worldwide are recording the lowest approval rates, while "X-ray devices, sterilization equipment, and spare parts necessary for CT scanners and other essential equipment are repeatedly rejected."

"In just the past six months alone, a shipment of prosthetics and assistive devices was rejected four separate times," she said.

However, she noted that the entry of medications is proceeding "relatively well," with nearly 87% approved and only 1% rejected.

She continued: "It's not about a single barrier, but rather a complete system where delays follow one another, and behind every delay is a patient waiting."

She said, "We need humanitarian and health supplies to enter Gaza without obstacles, regularly, and in large quantities."

She hoped that "Israel would at least ease the restrictions on medical supplies," calling for the opening of more crossings into the sector, and providing "clear and announced guidelines" regarding the procedures and requirements.

She added that success should not be measured by the number of trucks crossing the border, explaining that this "does not reflect much about whether the actual health needs of the population are being met or not."

In this regard, she stated that "a truck loaded with non-priority supplies, or the arrival of appropriate supplies too late, does not save lives."

These UN statements come amid the continued obstinacy of the Israeli occupation in fulfilling its commitments under the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, especially regarding the entry of essential and logistical aid into the sector.