Update Gaza Humanitarian Situation WHO, UNICEF 05 March 2024
/
2:15
/
MP4
/
261.1 MB

Edited News | WHO , UNICEF

Update Gaza Humanitarian Situation WHO, UNICEF 05 March 2024

Recent access by the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners to hospitals in northern Gaza has starkly revealed severe levels of malnutrition for Palestinians, children dying of starvation, serious shortages of fuel, food and medical supplies, and hospital buildings destroyed.

“We gained access to the north again. … Most of our missions to the north were denied in late January, only three out of 16 were facilitated, in February zero were actually facilitated, and all due to a lack of a proper deconfliction mechanism,” said Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, UN World Health Organization (WHO) Representative for the Occupied Palestinian Territory when briefing reporters at the UN in Geneva.

He noted that their last mission to Al Shifa hospital in northern Gaza was on 22nd of January and that access was granted more recently to other facilities.

“On the 3rd of March, just last weekend, WHO and partners were able to reach Kamal Adwan which is further north, and Al-Awda hospital in northern Gaza. That was the first mission (…) to those hospitals since early October 2023, despite of our many efforts to gain more regular access to the northern Gaza.”

WHO and partners managed to deliver 9,500 litres of fuel to each hospital, and some essential medical supplies - a small fraction of the urgent lifesaving supplies needed. The situation at Al-Awda Hospital is particularly appalling, Dr. Peeperkorn said, as one of the buildings is destroyed. Kamal Adwan Hospital, the only pediatrics hospital in the north of Gaza, is overwhelmed with patients. The lack of electricity poses a serious threat to patient care, especially in critical areas like the intensive care unit and the neonatal unit.

UNICEF spokesperson James Elder addressed the dire consequences for children in these facilities, with many more remaining unaccounted for. “At least ten children have reportedly died because of dehydration and malnutrition in Kamal Adwan Hospital in the northern Gaza Strip, likely many more children fighting for their lives. These deaths are manmade, predictable and entirely preventable.” Many more youngsters will likely die in the coming days unless aid is ramped up without delay, UNICEF warned.

Malnutrition has become an increasingly dire threat in Gaza, particularly among young children, leading to irreversible wasting. Previously, Gaza's self-sufficiency in fish and other food production provided a buffer against such dangers, said Dr. Peeperkorn.“What we see specifically in northern Gaza, 15.6% wasting among children under two (years of age) in northern Gaza. It suggests a serious and rapid decline,” he said. “Such a decline in the population's nutritional status in three months is actually unprecedented globally. Specifically, when you look at what it was before, you talk about 0.7 or 0.8% of children under five are acutely malnourished.”

According to Dr. Peeperkorn, only 12 hospitals are now partially functional - six in the north and six in the south. Twentythree hospitals are not functional at all. Given these dire circumstances, Dr Peeperkorn said that WHO is advocating for a significant ramp up of medical evacuation. “We estimate that 8000 patients should be referred out of Gaza, 6000 related to the war traumas and 2000 general patients.”

Between 7 October and 20 February only 2,203 people have had access to medical treatment outside of Gaza, in spite of offers from Egypt and other countries, including in Europe, to receive and treat a greater number of patients from the battered Gaza health facilities.

-ends-

STORY: Update Gaza Humanitarian situation-WHO, UNICEF

TRT: 2:14”

SOURCE: UNTV CH

RESTRICTIONS: NONE

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

ASPECT RATIO: 16:9

DATELINE: 5 March 2024 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

SHOTLIST

  1. Exterior medium shot: UN flag alley at the United Nations Office in Geneva
  2. Wide shot: Spokespersons at the podium and journalists in Press briefing room
  3. SOUNDBITE (English) – Rik Peeperkorn, WHO Representative for the OPT (speaking from Jerusalem): “We gained access to the north again. So, to stress that our mission, most of our missions to the north were denied in late January, only three out of 16 were facilitated, in February zero were actually facilitated, and all due to a lack of a proper deconfliction mechanism.”
  4. Medium shot: Journalists in press room with speaker on screen
  5. SOUNDBITE (English) – Rik Peeperkorn, WHO Representative for the OPT (speaking from Jerusalem): “Our last mission to Shifa (hospital) was on 22nd of January, on the 3rd of March, just last weekend, WHO and partners were able to reach Kamal Adwan which is further north and Al-Awda hospital in northern Gaza. That was the first mission actually visits to those hospitals since early October 2023, despite of our many efforts to gain more regular access to the northern Gaza.”
  6. Medium shot: Camerawomen filming with screens behind them
  7. SOUNDBITE (English) – James Elder, UNICEF’s spokesperson: “At least ten children have reportedly died because of dehydration and malnutrition in Kamal Adwan Hospital in the northern Gaza Strip, likely many more children fighting for their lives. These deaths are manmade, predictable and entirely preventable.”
  8. Wide shot: Journalists in press room with speaker on screen
  9. SOUNDBITE (English) – Rik Peeperkorn, WHO Representative for the OPT (speaking from Jerusalem): “What we see specifically in northern Gaza, 15.6% wasting among children under two (years of age) in northern Gaza. It suggests a serious and rapid decline. A such a decline in the population's nutritional status in three months is actually unprecedented globally. Specifically, when you look at what it was before, you talk about 0.7 or 0.8% of children under five are acutely malnourished.”
  10. Wide shot: Journalists in press briefing with spokespeople at the podium
  11. SOUNDBITE (English) –
  12. Wide shot: Journalists in press room with speaker on screen
  13. Medium shot: Journalists in press room
  14. Close up: journalists listening
  15. Close up: journalist listening


Audio Files 1
Download Update Gaza Humanitarian Situation WHO, UNICEF 05 March 2024 (Edited Story)
Download

Similar Stories

Gaza update - UNICEF, WHO 20 June 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNICEF , WHO

Gaza update - UNICEF, WHO 20 June 2025 ENG FRA

Death and suffering in Gaza are ever-present and the enclave's people now have little choice but to risk their lives to fetch aid supplies, UN agencies said on Friday. “I met a little boy who was wounded by a tank shell at one of these sites on the final day of me leaving Gaza - I learnt that this little boy had since died of those injuries,” said UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) spokesperson James Elder. “That speaks to both what is happening at these sites and what is not happening when it comes to medical evacuations.”

World Investment Report 2025 – Launch in Geneva

1

1

1

Edited News | UNCTAD

World Investment Report 2025 – Launch in Geneva ENG FRA

UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) launched today the World Investment Report 2025. Global foreign direct investment (FDI) fell by 11%, marking the second consecutive year of decline and confirming a deepening slowdown in productive capital flows, according to the report.

Afghan refugee and journalist Zahra Nader

1

1

1

Edited News

Afghan refugee and journalist Zahra Nader ENG FRA

Afghan journalist Zahra Nader fled twice due to Taliban rule, highlighting severe women's rights issues.

Palestinian refugee from the war in Gaza and photojournalist Motaz Azaiza

1

1

1

Edited News

Palestinian refugee from the war in Gaza and photojournalist Motaz Azaiza ENG FRA

Gazan photojournalist Motaz Azaiza documents war's impact, gaining global attention but facing personal peril.

Human Rights Council - Iran

1

1

1

Edited News | HRC

Human Rights Council - Iran ENG FRA

As the Iran-Israel crisis continued into a sixth day, the UN deputy human rights chief Nada Al-Nashif called for urgent talks to end the continuing exchanges of missile attacks between Tehran and Tel-Aviv.

HRC Press Conference: Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan -17 June 2025

2

1

1

Press Conferences , Edited News | HRC

HRC Press Conference: Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan -17 June 2025 ENG FRA

Heavy fighting in Sudan continues to escalate as a “direct result” of the continued flow of arms into the country meaning that the war is far from over, top independent human rights investigators said on Tuesday.

Gaza mass casualty incidents  WHO

1

1

1

Edited News | WHO

Gaza mass casualty incidents WHO ENG FRA

More Gazans killed trying to get food, healthcare near to ‘full disaster’

Gaza’s health system is at breaking point, overwhelmed time and again by scores of patients killed or injured near aid distribution sites, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk Update on Democratic Republique of Congo to the 59th Human Rights Council

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk Update on Democratic Republique of Congo to the 59th Human Rights Council ENG FRA

La situation en République démocratique du Congo est aujourd’hui encore plus grave et alarmante, a averti lundi le Haut-Commissaire des Nations Unies aux droits de l’homme Volker Türk. 

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk Global Update to the 59th Human Rights Council

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk Global Update to the 59th Human Rights Council ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Monday delivered his global update to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, highlighting key issues and trends, and the human rights situation in some 60 countries. 

Eastern DRC update - UNDP 13 June 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNDP

Eastern DRC update - UNDP 13 June 2025 ENG FRA

As diplomatic efforts continue to end fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the UN development agency (UNDP) issued an appeal on Friday on behalf of people uprooted by the violence to help them rebuild their lives and livelihoods.

Sudan update - WFP

1

1

1

Edited News | WFP

Sudan update - WFP ENG FRA

The very real risk of famine continues to stalk Sudan’s communities impacted by war, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Tuesday, in an appeal for more funding to support immediate needs and boost longer-term recovery across the country.

Yann Arthus-Bertrand Interview

1

1

Edited News | UNOG

Yann Arthus-Bertrand Interview ENG FRA

What can each one of us do to save the planet, asks Yann Arthus-Bertrand on World Environment Day

The last documentary film of legendary nature photographer, documentary director and environmental activist “Nature: The Call for Reconciliation” looks for an answer.