Israel blocking medical specialists from entering Gaza: WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) says the Israeli regime has been barring medical specialists from entering Gaza to support clinics in the besieged Palestinian territory. 

In a statement released on Thursday, the WHO said eight organizations and more than 50 specialist personnel have been affected by Israel’s blockade since August. 

The specialists were blocked from working in medical facilities including the European Gaza Hospital and the Nasser Hospital.

Israeli authorities have denied two medical organizations, Glia and the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA), from entering Gaza. Two medical NGOs confirmed that they were notified by the WHO this week about the bans. 

Both groups have worked in Gaza for years preceding the Israeli aggression. 

Dorotea Gucciardo, director of development for Glia, an international humanitarian organization specializing in high-quality medical equipment, said health workers were deliberately barred from entering Gaza.

“Health-care workers are some of the only international observers that have witnessed acts that amount to war crimes in Gaza,” she said.

“It is difficult for me to not believe that the decision to ban international healthcare workers is a deliberate attempt to limit international observers in Gaza,” Gucciardo added.

The UN health agency said Israel provided no explanation for barring its partner organizations from the Strip, where the healthcare system has collapsed.

The WHO reported that support teams conducted 25 percent fewer operations in the past week than usual.

WHO team describes Gaza's al-Shifa Hospital as 'death zone'

WHO says the team saw a mass grave at the entrance of the hospital and was told more than 80 people were buried there.

“WHO is concerned about the impact of these denials on Gaza’s strained healthcare system,” the organization said Thursday in a statement.

International emergency medical teams (EMTs) deployed to Gaza are essential to keeping the system operational,” WHO said, calling for full access for emergency aid teams. 

“WHO calls for urgent and sustained facilitation of entry for EMTs into Gaza and access for humanitarian aid across the Strip,” it said.

With only 17 out of 36 clinics and 43 medical practices remaining partially operational, the WHO emphasized the irreplaceable role of these external teams in providing essential medical services.

Israel allows in only a small number of international aid workers through the Kerem Shalom crossing and has denied journalists independent access to the Strip throughout its year-long campaign of death and destruction.

Since capturing the Rafah crossing to Egypt in May, Israel has controlled all movement in and out of Gaza. 

WHO says hostilities near Kamal Adwan Hospital ‘deeply worrisome’

WHO describes as "deeply worrisome" the intense hostilities in the vicinity of Kamal Adwan hospital in Gaza.

Meanwhile, humanitarian groups have accused Israel of deliberately starving and forcibly displacing Palestinians in northern Gaza.

The UN has said no trucks of food, water, or medicine have entered the north since September 30.

Even before this current ground incursion of the northern cities, the Israeli military stopped the entry of humanitarian aid, including fuel to hospitals, medical necessities and food supplies.

Israeli media have revealed that a plan is underway to ethnically cleanse northern Gaza and kill any Palestinian who remains there.

The Israeli aggression which began in October last year, has so far killed more than 42,500 people and injured over 99,000 others. Lack of food, medicine and other necessities are also taking their toll on the Gaza population.

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