Welcome to the press briefing of the Information Service at the UN Geneva.
Today is Tuesday, 14th of November and I'll start this briefing by saying happy bizarre day.
As you know, today we have a beautiful event happening here at the Palais, the annual bazaar.
This is the bazaar organised by the UN Women's Guild and the AS as, as you know, the bizarre goal is to gather funds for projects for women and children in developing countries.
And this year the bazaar is organised under the theme United for Children and Clean Environment.
So I think we all have this thing resounds to all of us.
And I really hope that you will benefit from this incredible opportunity.
So let's start now with the an announcement by wipe.
But before doing that, sorry, another little announcement.
I'd like to welcome the student from the University of Lausanne, the course of journalism that are today with us following this briefing.
So without further ado, Edward, you have an announcement for White.
Thank you very much, Alessandra.
I just wanted to come and personally invite you to our press conference on Friday.
We have some very interesting personages.
Bjorn Olvace, the ABBA Co founder, who is also the Co founder of the Music Rights Awareness Foundation, which is our partner on a new online learning platform for creators.
It's going to help them understand their intellectual property rights and how to negotiate the recording industry.
He'll be speaking together with our Director General, Darren Tang.
That's at 4:00 PM over at WIPO.
Hope you all find the opportunity to come join us.
There'll be a bit of a panel discussion, some music and then a reception.
So hopefully you all can come and stay.
I'll be sending around a press release under embargo in the next few hours for more details.
So let me know if you need any more information.
Thank you very much, Edward.
And yes, of course, we would be happy to join and good luck with the event.
So let's go to our first guest who is connected with us from Nairobi, Patrick Wilton.
You're on Sir Petrick, you are the communication officers in Somalia for the World Food Programme.
And you have a briefing for us on the situation after the floods in Somalia.
So Somalia is a country at the epicentre of climate change.
It's the most vulnerable in the country who bear the brunt of it.
And in 2023, we have seen that with terrible clarity.
At the start of this year, Somalia had been pushed to the brink of famine by its longest drought in its recorded history.
Now catastrophe was barely averted, due in large part to an unprecedented scale of humanitarian assistance.
But there has been absolutely no respite for the people, for the communities struggling to recover.
Deadly floods have Mao struck Somalia, made worse by El Nino, which have brought torrential rains to East Africa even as it threatens drought in the South of the continent.
In Somalia, towns and districts along the Chabelae and the Juba rivers have been inundated.
As of the last set of data, half a million people had been driven from their homes to seek the safety of **** ground.
That number is increasing at a terrifying rate.
I've just come back from a week in Ballot Wayne on the Shabelle River, which is now totally flooded.
Even before the floods came, you could see the human impact of this crisis.
I passed dozens, hundreds of people on the roads, fleeing from low ground.
Donkey carts, trucks piled **** with furniture, families perched on top.
I've seen camps internally displaced, people totally abandoned to rising floodwater and waist deep mud.
I've seen a school deserted, its playground become a lake.
I've seen a hospital where staff are desperately preparing to try to keep the water out as long as they can.
Now WFP, working with the Government of Somalia, has been able to mitigate some of these impacts before the floods happened.
We've activated an anticipatory action programme, WFP's first in Africa against floods.
And what we've been doing is delivering pre emptive cash transfers and radio early warning messages to communities, to families in the areas where the forecasts have been for the heaviest rains.
And it has been working in Ballot Wayne.
I spoke to a woman named Medina, 80 years old, who told me that the cash had reached her at just the right time when she had to evacuate to an IDP camp on higher ground with nothing, no food, and she was able to buy enough of her family with those transfers.
Another woman, May Muna, told me that she'd heard the radio warning messages and they had helped her to prepare her and her family to evacuate these programmes.
What they do is because they're preparing families to protect themselves against the floods, to move before the worst happens.
That actually reduces the number of people who need humanitarian assistance.
But make no mistake, this bombardment of climate shocks, from droughts to floods, will prolong the hunger crisis in Somalia.
The drought killed millions of livestocks, ruined countless hectares of pastures and farm lands.
It's these assets that are now being devastated by the floods that's crippling Somalia's ability to recover.
4.3 million people, that is 1/4 of Somalia's population are forecast to face crisis level hunger or worse by the end of this year.
Sustained support from the international community will be vital and not just the humanitarian relief, but to broaden these anticipatory programmes and to invest in longer term resilience programmes to enable Somalia to break this cycle of crisis driven by unrelenting climate shocks.
Thank you very much, Patrick.
It is really a very dire situation and I'm opening the floor to questions now, see if there is any in the room.
So it's good to depart from Peter Kenny or African Media.
Yeah, thanks for taking my question.
Wilson, I realise that you're from the World Food Programme and not from the WMO, but perhaps you can answer this question.
Is this flooding due to unseasonable heavily heavy rainfall?
You can you just put that into a bit of context into what the normal rainfall pattern is for the area.
I mean, as you say, I'm not meteorologist, I'm talking for the World Food Programme.
But this is certainly the season, the rainy season in Somalia.
So riverine floods are not uncommon.
Of course we haven't seen them for the last 2-3 years because of this drought.
And it's the El Nino climate pattern that has made them currently so much worse.
I I have seen forecasts not from.
We didn't hear the last sentence.
Oh, yeah, I can see my connection is unstable.
I was just noting that while these floods, while Somalia does have a rhythm of rainy season, these floods are particularly extreme due to El Nino and some forecasts.
I've seen Swan forecast suggesting they could be a once in a century event.
I guess time will tell how that plays out.
But certainly the humanitarian need on the ground now, the hunger needs are very severe.
And Claire is with us from WMO.
Maybe she can also add a little bit to this answer.
So thanks very much and thanks to WFP for the interesting briefing.
Yes, the rainfall patterns that we are seeing in the Horn of Africa now, they are certainly exacerbated by El Nino.
They're typical of El Nino just as the drought was consistent with with La Nina.
But obviously what we're seeing now in the context of climate change is that it's, it's, it's like our weather is on steroids.
So, you know, we are seeing the droughts are becoming more intense.
We're seeing that heavy rainfall is becoming more extreme.
And this is what we're seeing in in Somalia now.
It was forecast WMO, you know, in our own El Nino updates since the month of June have been saying, you know, prepare for El Nino.
We have a, a regional climate centre base in Nairobi.
It's called, it's called ICPAC.
And they are issuing, you know, very, very regular updates for the, for, for the region.
I'm just looking at the tweet they sent out an hour ago saying heavy rainfall is expected this week, so the 14th to the 21st of November over northwestern Tanzania, central and northwestern Uganda, northeastern Kenya into southwestern Somalia.
So Somalia is obviously bearing, you know, a lot of flooding, but we're also seeing, you know, similar death scenes of devastation in in parts of Kenya.
And as my WFP colleague, you know, told you, we knew in advance this was coming.
And so this enabled partners on the ground to to take anticipatory actions.
So I was really, really interested in hearing from WWFP that, you know, on the basis of forecast, you know, that you've been able to to help people on the ground.
And this is this is what it's all about.
You know, This is why we issue the forecast.
This is why we've now got the early warnings for all campaign going, you know, at international level.
It's, you know, we have the forecast, We have the know how we can make a difference and save lives indeed.
And Claire, if you can stay on the platform, I see you have sent some information in the chat.
If you can say a little bit more before we go to the next speaker.
I'd like to maybe say that just let's continue with the questions on the issue of Somalia.
Lisa Shine, Voice of America.
First, if the WFP representative, would you please send us your notes?
It would facilitate reporting.
Now, how many people are you trying to reach with, with your aid?
You mentioned that the problem of hunger was rather severe.
So how, if you could give us some numbers, tell us how serious is acute hunger in Somalia?
And so I'm if you could speak a bit more about that kind of a situation, how severe it is, whether people have been dying as a consequence of not being able to get enough food to eat, especially children.
If you have that information, I would appreciate you doing that.
And then you said you want sustained support.
How much money do you need?
And is there a problem with competing needs around the world as we see crises are bursting out all over the place, unfortunately.
And I'm wondering whether the the conflict with Al Shabaab is, is having any kind of an impact upon the rainfall and getting the aid to the people in need.
Patrick, just just maybe before you start answering Ishita, you should be online if you can send us or directly to the journalist they notes that.
I'm just making sure I've got all those questions down.
All right, Lisa, I'm going to try and take those one by one.
I hope I don't miss anything.
So you had asked about humanitarian needs and the response obviously for WFP we're focusing on food needs, as you mentioned.
I gave that figure, which is 4.3 million people facing hunger or crisis level hunger or worse by the end of the year.
Well over a million children facing acute malnutrition as well.
I don't think we have a forecast for death at this time.
I will just note that 43,000 people were estimated to have died as a result of the drought last year.
The reason that's relevant is because many of those people were in crisis level hunger.
That's not the most extreme level of hunger, but what it tells us is that if you are stuck in crisis level hunger for long enough, you are still at risk of death.
So that is very much what is at stake here.
4.3 million plus in IPC 3 or higher is just not sustainable.
So the risk is very, very real.
So the anticipated reaction that I spoke about, we've reached over 200,000 people with the cash transfers, more than that with the radio messages, obviously those are going out broad audiences in each district that we that was forecast to be affected.
It's separate from WFP's response.
The A, A is before the crisis response is afterwards.
What I would say to your question is that the funding crunch is very real.
And as of right now, we have funding to reach less than half, fewer than half of the people forecast to be in those extremes of hunger, which is a very, very difficult situation.
We've had to scale down by more than half from the peak of our famine aversion push at the end of last year, which is really problematic.
As of right now, WF PS funding needs for the next 6 months are 378 million.
We are not the only UN agency working in Somalia.
Yes, unfortunately, we live in a time when there are always competing crises, all of which are awful across the world.
I think all I can say to that is just ask the world to not turn away from Somalia now.
The crisis is not yet over.
And then you also asked about conflict and security challenges.
So yes, conflict and persistent insecurity is always an additional compounding factor in Somalia.
It makes it more difficult to get desperately need assistance into some of the country that at times is hardest hit by crises.
Of course, Maribad is further compounded with the floods themselves causing additional access challenges.
It took me a couple of attempts to get into Ballot Wayne a week or so ago.
It took me a couple of attempts to get out.
There are areas now that are only accessible by helicopter.
We've also deployed as WFP.
We've deployed boats in strategic locations around the the Juba and the Shabella River rivers.
But I've also heard even government spokespeople talking about the access difficulty.
So you can see how it's a perfect storm of compounding effects that really makes delivering to all the people who need it very challenging in the Somalia context.
Lisa, I, I hope I've answered all your questions.
Lisa, do you have any follow up?
How did you how did you manage to remember all of my my questions?
Yeah, we are accustomed to very long questions from Lisa, but thank you very much, Patrick.
And I see that Ishita has confirmed that the notes have been sent.
Is there any other question for WFP on the platform or in the room?
So thank you very much, Patrick for being with us today for for updating us on this dire situation.
Good luck with your work.
And before I go to ICRC, maybe Claire, you want to just say what you put in the chat and then we'll go to our guests from ICRC.
I wasn't actually planning to take part today, but anyway, so we have we will shortly be sending out the press release for the Greenhouse gas Bulletin under embargo for tomorrow's press conference at 11.
At the moment it's only in English, but we hope by the end of today we'll get it in other languages ahead of us physically sending it out.
I've put the Trello link for you in the chat.
So if you need access now to the to the press release in English, you can you can get it, but other materials will be following.
Thanks and we hope to see you tomorrow at 11.
Any question for WMO in the room?
Yes, it's just for the logistic as we are in the room, not online.
If you can send by mail the link.
I think I sent it to you yesterday, but I'll.
I'll send it to you again.
Any other question for WMO?
Here we have Fatima Sator, the spokesperson of ICRC, who brought us Francois Morayoun, who's the chief of the delegation of ICRC in the DRC.
And he's here to give us an update on the situation on the humanitarian situation in the North Kivu.
I Fatima, you want to start or we go directly to Francois.
We can go directly to Francois.
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Switch to English, maybe it's easier.
The Permanent Mission of Israel to the UN is organising a press conference with the Israeli foreign Minister.
The families of the hostages in the hands of Hamas will also to speak.
You have a very long list of speaker on your invitation.
This is a in person only press conference.
And I've been asked by security to tell you that because of security cheques, please be there at 2:15, 2:15 PM to for, for at least for those who have the material to be able to, to get the material into the room.
It would be good that everybody is there a little bit earlier than the beginning of the of the press conference, which as I said is foreseen by 3:00.
And I'm pretty sure the hands were up are for me.
So I'll start with Catherine again, not for you, not for you.
Tell me to tell me to whom you want to ask question.
No, no, Alison, it's it's just for Fatima.
Yes, as as Christoph mentioned.
Thank you so much for sending your press release in advance.
I'd like to know how many times the president of ICRC did meet with families of hostages.
Is it the second or the third time that she's meeting with families?
And is it her first time to to have an exchange with the Minister of Foreign Affairs?
Catherine, I'm not sure about that.
So I'll get back to you with exact numbers.
I know that's not the first time, obviously, that she's meeting with families of hostages.
So I'll get back to you with how many times and including the number of half time she's meeting with the Israeli authorities.
I have a question for WHOI believe Fadela and Christian are online if if possible, yeah.
Because we we still have I think quite a few questions on that.
Yes, I was wondering if we're going to get a readout after the meeting by the ICRC President with the Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs and I think the Minister of Health, if ICRC.
And it would be nice if we could have perhaps at some point a briefing with Mr Niels Melsa, the Director of International Law at the ICRC, to walk us through the various interpretations of the Geneva Conventions, especially Articles 18 and 19, and how they apply in the current situation in the OPT and in Israel.
No, for now it's only the so the news release that you should have received an hour ago.
So there won't be any further communication on this, this meeting and in general, I mean, this is part of our ongoing dialogue with the Israeli authorities and we also speak with Hamas.
So this is part of the ICRC mandate.
So we're not planning another communication further to the news release that you that you got this morning on your for, for my colleagues, Niels, of course, John, happy to, to organise this together with you.
I think there will be lots of people interested in that.
Fatima, John, your hand is still up.
Sorry, I should put it down.
I thought it was a follow up.
So Gabriella Sotomayor, yes, thank you very much.
Alessandra, my question is regarding the that you sent a press release on 7th of November saying that you were deeply troubled, but because the humanitarian convoy in Gaza City came under fire on Tuesday.
So have you had add any new attacks on your personal or your convoys or anything else that like that?
Yes, indeed we have communicated yesterday on the social media.
XI will share right now the link.
Merci Beza, I also have question for WHU to be honest.
So let's bring together the question to the Blue H2 at the end.
I was wondering do you have any information on the whereabouts of the 240 hostages and their and their health conditions?
And secondly, the Israeli Foreign Minister, Mr.
Cohen said, I think two or three weeks ago that if the ICRC is not visiting the hostages, then it does not have any right to exist.
Has this issue been addressed by the meeting between the president and the foreign minister?
Fatim, you were, you were connected and now, yeah, OK, you're on.
Yeah, thanks for your question.
So on your first question, it is part of our dialogue.
We have been insisting and requesting to visit the hostages.
It's part of our dialogue with Hamas.
And we've actually asked for three things.
First to to visit the hostages to check on their well-being, if not able to be at least able to of course, like also deliver medicine and also to exchange news with their loved ones.
So this is something, it is part of our dialogue with Hamas.
On your other question, you know, we are a neutral humanitarian organisation and we of course, like we're not, we, we cannot really impose and break barriers like this is on the, as you know, we have the ICRC has facilitated the release of four hostages so far.
And this is something we're deeply relieved and we're hoping to be able to facilitate more of these.
But that was actually something agreed.
Upon by the parties and so we were here only to facilitate and for it's very frustrating.
All of us are very frustrated not to be able to do more.
But our mandate has limits unfortunately, but we do have this is actually like one of our top priorities and it is part of our continuing dialogue with the parties.
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Just I don't see any more questions on this.
And thank you very much, Fatima.
I'd also like to thank very much Francois for giving us this briefing on the situation in the DRC.
I think you have already looked into the story of the notes, which will be either some sent or already been sent.
But before we leave the issue of Gaza, 2 things.
First of all, let me be more precise on what I said on the press conference of the Israeli Minister for this afternoon.
You have just received runners, just sent you a note.
We have clarified with security.
So the issue is the following.
The room open opens at 2:15, so Room 3 will be open at 2:15.
There are security measures, so we strongly recommend that you go there as of 215, but everybody has to be seated in the room by 2:45.
So these are the time 215, especially with your equipment.
Please go earlier and eventually everybody sit down at 2:45.
And I'm also happy to announce you that you may, as you may remember, we had to cancel the press conference of Commissioner General Lanzarini last week, I think it was last week, because he couldn't travel to Geneva.
And indeed, he is now travelling to Geneva this week.
So he will address the Member States here in Geneva and then he will give a press conference here in this room at 3:30 on Thursday.
So Commissioner, General Ladzarini press conference here at 3:30 in this room on Thursday.
And now I see many more hands up.
Let me see if Jan is for WHO for me.
Just a quick one on the Israeli press conference, there's a long list of speakers.
And I just want to ask you, please make sure that we can get some questions in, in that and that the whole press conference, it's not sort of covered the whole time by the Israelis.
Look, I, I really invite you to, to make a phone call, a quick phone call to Nathan because we, it's not a UN press conference.
It's a press conference of the member State.
So in the invitation we have put you the the contact details of Anatan Shish Portish, who's whom, as you know, is in charge of communication at the Israeli mission, and you can give him your comment.
I'm sure he will forward it to the right people.
John, yes, my question is for Margaret who's tuning in.
I think let's wait because there there's a long list of people who want to speak with WHO.
Let me see if there's anything on Israel and Palestine.
My question is if the Foreign Minister of Israel will meet with Mr Grandy, for example with Mr Doctor Ted Rose, Mr Turk, **** Commissioner for Human Rights.
I mean, is he going to to meet with the heads of UN organisation?
Look on WHOI would let Margaret answer for the others.
I again please ask the question to Nathan or to the colleagues of the relevant agencies.
We have Rachel on the line and there is Shabia also.
Maybe he or she can answer on Philippo Grandi.
Margaret, would you like to just first address this question from Gabrielle and then we'll come to the question to you.
Listen, I don't have any details at the moment, but as soon as I've got them, we'll provide them.
And Shabia, do you know if the minister, if Filippo Grand is meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs?
No, I don't see her online.
She she was there, but she isn't anymore.
So maybe you can ask the question, Gabriella, to the various agencies you are interested in.
OK, so Margaret, we keep you online because we've got quite a few questions for you.
We do have, Oh, you have Shabbir.
OK, OK, so let's go to Shabbir.
Sorry, no, just to say I don't have any information on this, but we can follow up with you, Gabriella.
So let me start with Gabriella, who was the first one asking a question to Margaret and then we'll go to Visa.
Today seems to be the first day of rains in Gaza.
And as we know from previous years, as soon as it rains there, the sewage system really can't absorb the water and it causes flooding.
In the current context, how concerned is WHO about what the rains could cause in terms of disease spread and sewage?
It's a really important question because indeed we we're very concerned.
We've already got outbreaks of diarrhoea or diseases.
We've already got, we've recorded well over 30,000 cases when we would normally expect 2000 cases in the same.
And this will just add further to the suffering.
We've got so much infrastructural damage.
We've got a lack of clean water.
We've got people very, very crowded together, you know, with I think in the ordinary shelters, it's it's nine times as many people as they were designed to contain.
So again, this is another reason why we are begging for a ceasefire to happen now.
I want to ask, how would you evaluate the latest situation in the AL Shifa hospital where attacks continue due to lack of fuel begin witnessing deaths and there's evacuation order which refused by doctors in the hospital.
They say they fear that 700 patients would die if they left behind.
What would cause losing the region's not largest hospital, but also the largest shelter?
And how would you evaluate all?
So the Al Shifa, you're right, is the largest hospital in Gaza and the most sophisticated.
And because it's the most sophisticated, offering the most complex medical procedures, it's also got people who are very, very sick, including the babies we've seen pictures of, but also people requiring dialysis.
You know, 45 patients who if you know anything about renal kidney failure, that's why you have dialysis.
You need to have this every two or three days to clear the toxins from your blood, otherwise you die.
So they are doing whatever they can to keep going.
But also there are 700 patients in there.
They're also more than 500 health staff, more than 400 health staff, correct me, I correct myself, and around 3000 internally displaced people.
We've had 20 inpatient deaths reported in the last 48 hours.
Now, the numbers I have are very fluid.
So, you know, the situation may indeed be much worse.
We know also that there's not enough food, that the staff are struggling to get any clean water because their water tanks were destroyed.
But they are still doing everything they can to keep providing medical care for the desperately ill patients they have.
So we actually still describe A Schieffer as a functioning hospital because of the heroic efforts the staff are making.
But if they cannot continue to look after their patients, if they cannot continue to remain there in safety, we all need to make efforts to help them to get to a better place.
But those patients need to be moved to a place where they can get care and moved in a way that's possible for them to stay safe.
And this is a very, very difficult thing indeed.
Do you think is it safe to move all those big numbers of patients?
So did you say if there is no functioning, like if the hospital gonna out of service, we can, you know, evacuate them, But do you think is it safe or is it possible to do such an evacuation?
Well, certainly in normal times that would be difficult for such a large number of people, all of whom require critical support to to stay alive.
That would be a very difficult thing to ask in the best circumstances in Australia, in America or the UK or Europe with your best things functioning and nobody shooting at, you know, bombs going off and on roads that are actually working out and with ambulances that have got fuel.
But the everyone in that hospital is in a really, really dire situation.
All their lives are so threatened.
So we as the world have to find a way to help them.
The best way would be to stop the hostilities right now.
Let's go back to the platform.
John, can you hear me there?
Margaret, I was wondering if you could shed some light into the spike in attacks on health in both the OPT and in Israel.
I think looking at your data, but there's not a detailed breakdown 294 in the OPT and 3333 in Israel.
Can you give us some analysis where it's happening and and who is being attacked?
It's a bit difficult from your website to, to to analyse it.
And secondly, are you going to give us a readout after Doctor Tedros meets with the Foreign Minister and the Minister of Health of Israel this afternoon?
On the attacks on health, we deliberately don't say exactly what hospitals.
We don't say anything more than the nature of the attacks.
And that's to protect those who provide the verification.
That's also to protect the facilities.
We're seeing attacks on health in Gaza, in the West Bank and also in Israel, and this is going to stop the attacks on health.
On health is never a target, doesn't matter where, doesn't matter who attacks on health, Healthcare is never a target.
So I think that's as much as I can give you at the moment.
But on the attacks in the occupied Palestinian territories, half are in Gaza and basically half are in the West Bank.
I don't know if you want to answer on the doubt.
I think if we have anything, we certainly will make it available.
And I would expect that the as we normally do when if Doctor Tedros has something to say about any of his meetings, he usually tweaks it or put post it on X.
Pardon me for being so behind the times.
I wonder if you have any more information on the causes of death of the 20 patients that you've lost in the last 48 hours.
And there have been some reports about sort of sniper foul hitting patients inside hospitals and I wondered if there was any link between those reports and any of these casualties.
Secondly, Israel said it made some effort to deliver fuel to our chief hospital recently.
I wondered if there had been any further follow up and particularly on deliveries of fuel to scale that would actually make a difference to our Shifi.
And thirdly, finally, if I may, there's talk about Israel trying to mobilise some incubators to take to the hospital to assist the evacuation of some of these babies.
I wonder if you have any information on that and whether there's been any attempt to coordinate that with The Who?
I don't have a breakdown of who has died on the sniper attacks.
I do know that from what we're hearing from the the staff in Ashisha that they certainly are concerned about being anywhere near the windows and and then move the patients to be away from the windows.
So they certainly see that as a ******, but I don't have any information about that leading to fatalities on the fuel.
It's heartening that it's recognised that hospitals need fuel where we keep on talking about the damage, but really what's happening is they just don't have any power to keep their machinery functioning and a modern hospital cannot provide its services unless it's got power.
So that's what's really going on and the fuel needs to come in in large amounts.
We're ready, you know, we're all ready as aid agencies to assist getting that happening, but it's at the moment it's not permitted.
We even can't get have fuel to move supplies inside Gaza.
So every function that needs to happen to help people is really stymied by the lack of fuel on the assistance to save the lives of these tiny babies.
We are certainly ready to support in any way we can, but we haven't I haven't got any detail or information on on on the help that's been made available.
Indeed through it should not be negotiated.
Thank you Alessandra, Margaret, Hi Margaret, could you just tell us the state of operation at Shifa at the moment that you have?
Is it operating not at all.
Is it operating slightly?
Is it is there any way to quantify the level of operation at Shifa at the moment?
Now there isn't actually a rating.
They are doing their best.
They are doing what they can as doctors and nurses with the very little they have.
As you've seen, I think with the pictures that they move the the tiny babies because the incubator power had failed and they were trying to keep them warm.
And they will be doing everything they know.
We as doctors do learn to work to operate and function in very basic conditions.
But remember, as I said, this is the most sophisticated, this is a tertiary referral hospital.
So you're bringing in people who are well beyond basic care and now they can't do it because of the damage to the hospital and because of the complete lack of fuel supply.
So, you know, they could do so much more if they were simply permitted.
I I guess I'm really just trying to riff off of the tweet from the tweet or the ex post as you want to call it that from the DG the other day.
I'm saying that the hospital is not functioning as a hospital anymore.
And I think a lot of people are just wondering what that means exactly.
I mean, you know, how do you quantify if a, if a hospital is functioning as a hospital anymore or not?
So because, and it's complex because again, it's what I call a tertiary referral hospital and that probably doesn't mean that much, but it means that you get sick, you come to a local hospital, you've got something that they can't deal with, you go to the tertiary referral hospital.
So it's not functioning in the way it normally would function.
But that's a really big problem because the people who are in there are in there because it needs to be functioning at that tertiary level.
So it's extraordinary they've still managed to keep those 700 people alive.
Those 700 really, really, really sick, really vulnerable patients.
And that's also why right from the start, they said we cannot evacuate the patients.
We cannot empty the hospital because the people in there are people that that are very, very difficult to move or that making a decision to move them could well lead to their death.
I have two questions for you.
On Sunday, The Who spoke of 137 attacks on health in Gaza and we're talking about more than 250 in Palestinian territory in one month.
Is this an historical record?
Had it ever happened in the conflict that so many hospitals and ambulances were targeted in one month or is it something new or not?
It is currently the largest number of attacks in such a short period.
And I hope in, you know, I don't want to talk about records, but I hope this is the worst we ever see because what we are also seeing is an increasing trend of many attacks on healthcare.
We've seen this in Sudan.
We've seen this in Ukraine.
It seems to be that somehow the understanding that a hospital must be a safe haven, a place where people come to be cured, to be treated when they are in trouble, when they're in need, has been forgotten.
And there seems to be a trend to want to turn them into places of death, despair and and and and danger, which should never happen.
So I go to Chris, then back to the the the platform and then to you, Christian.
I just had the question about who do you still have personnel inside the AL Shifa Hospital?
Can you talk to them everyday?
And then the the other thing is, I think it was during the weekend, Israeli embassy here posted on X basically saying that because of the, the international community and the UN agencies have not heeded the calls to evacuate for months.
And that's why we're in this situation we are in today at the AL Shifa Hospital.
So I was just wondering if you had to comment on that.
I'll take the second one first.
Again, the reason we said that people can't be evacuated is, first of all, they, as I mentioned in my earlier answer, the people in the hospitals were very vulnerable, very sick.
And you are asking doctors and nurses to move people knowing that that would **** them.
And again, why would you need to move them?
A hospital should never be under attack.
This is agreed under International humanitarian law.
So why are you saying that that a hospital can no longer be used as a hospital?
Secondly, there's lack of capacity in the South.
The bulk of the healthcare, especially the complex healthcare and most of the people we're seeing it who are in need of healthcare right now in Gaza are in need of very complex healthcare just to survive.
The bulk of the capacities in the north, in the South, and it's there's only a few hospitals that can, there are far fewer hospitals in the cell.
There are 11 currently functioning as best they can, not at full steam and they are completely full.
There are very, very few hospitals that can even take new patients right now because they are absolutely overwhelmed.
And that was the case a few weeks ago as well.
Bringing all these people.
It was a case of first of all, bringing them might **** them, but also where do they go or where do you put them?
And and so there were very clear reasons why that was not something that was in any way feasible.
I've forgotten your first question already.
You mentioned, can you repeat the first it was about do you still have stuff who staff inside the inside the hospital or and who do you talk to?
Is it is, can you talk every day or we, we certainly do our best to talk every day.
We do have staff in North Gaza.
They tell us and, and I'm not going to say where they are for their own protection, they tell us they've got very restrictive movement and they, they have very little access to food or water or supplies as well, like everybody else said there.
So it's a really, really horrendous situation.
We also do our best to be in contact with staff in the hospital and we also speak to the Ministry of Health focal points who deal with these issues.
So we're we're doing our best to collect information from all sources.
So your hand up for quite a long time, but now it's not there anymore.
So I'll go to Christian, then Moose and John again.
Yeah, I, I she's been waiting for a while.
It's on the same, on the same track as Jamie.
It's just to clarify because there are there is a lot of confusion on the, on the number of what hospitals are hospitals are still work, functioning because on the flash update today, this this, this night by OSHA, they said that all hospitals in the north are out of service and only they are Al Hali where hospital in Gaza City is, is functioning and receiving patients.
So, yeah, I know it's, it's difficult to know exactly what is happening, but it's can we and you said that the in chief Chief they are doing what is possible, but can we say that chief is, is still operating or not?
And in, in terms of number of pay of death people in Chief hospital, OSHA talks about 32 patients died since 11:00 November, plus three babies.
So sorry, including three ways, so 32 and you mentioned 20.
So I, I suppose you're receiving also the same information as a social.
So could you maybe clarify some of these things?
Again, the numbers are very fluid.
And, and so I, I, I cannot say any of the numbers to guarantee, you know, from that things are changing very rapidly.
So I think you go with the numbers, just quote this, the sources that that, that you have.
What we mean is that a lot of hospitals, you're right.
And what that flash updates reflecting is hospitals, they're referring to hospitals that are accepting new patients.
So if you look at what we're saying, it's that there are still hospitals that are looking after patients.
There are others that are just completely shut down, close their doors, not doing anything.
But the hospitals we're talking about still have patients in them and are still doing what hospitals do, which is caring for the sick.
But many hospitals are unable to take in any any more people.
So people who arrive at the doors cannot be treated.
So that's what the difference is there, Christian.
I'm not sure, Margaret, whether you're aware of it or whether Fatima is still here, but there was a breaking news story from Al Jazeera just a few moments ago that the IDF has agreed to transfer a small number of premature infants from the hospital with the help of the Red Cross.
Is either of you aware of that?
I don't know whether Fatima is still here.
Is there anything you can you can say about this?
IDF has agreed to transfer some premature infants from the hospital.
So I don't know if Margaret has any update on that.
If it's just, I would be surprised as she was speaking to you.
And, and, and definitely would be the Red Cross who would be managing that.
My question concerning the other hospitals than Arifa like Kamal Adwan Hospital and Alcot's hospital, These hospitals are now out of service completely.
What is the situation now in those in these hospitals and other hospitals in Gaza?
So we again deliberately actually don't give the names of the different hospitals that shut down.
I have just got that that over 1-2 thirds have shut down, but we actually don't list them for various reasons, just as we don't list the hospitals that are under attack.
Yes, it's maybe again Margaret, I was wondering, following up to my colleagues question, I think if I'm not mistaken WHO had in Gaza about 20 staff, is that still the case and is also the director of The Who Gaza in Gaza or is he operating out of Amman or Jerusalem?
And secondly, with the meeting coming up this afternoon, is the question of deconfliction going to be 1 issue that The Who will raise with the Israeli authorities, marking of the facilities not to be attacked?
And secondly, the prospects of a maritime humanitarian corridor for hospital ships to be able to deal with the injured?
In fact, we, yes, we do have a full team in Gaza.
And in fact we have sent more people in and there are more people ready from partner agencies ready to go in as well.
We are all standing by to be able to do what we can.
But of course we can't do very much without a ceasefire.
That's why I was saying we must have a ceasefire and the hostages must be returned on any meetings.
As I said, I have no information so I can't I can't help you on on on any details of any meetings with the Director General.
So thanks everyone for this very many questions.
And Margaret, sorry for bombarded you, but it was really interesting and important to have all this information.
Let's conclude with a few announcements.
I repeat Commissioner General Lazzarini 330 on Thursday here in this room.
I also wanted to remind you that on Thursday, so almost at the same time, at 2:30, we will have the Young Activist Summit here in the Paladinacion.
The Prince is is main speaker and guest guest speaker will be Prince Albert, second of Monaco, who will open the summit and congratulate the five laureates.
You have seen the press releases, they are coming from India, Colombia, Sudan, Burkina Faso and Myanmar.
From Cox Bazaar, the prints will be available for interviews with the press upon request, as will be the Young Laureates.
So let us know if you're interested in interviewing any of them.
And remember that the summit will be streamed live on web TV and on the Yes on the Summit website in Spanish, English, Arabic and French.
We've distributed to you a multimedia kit with lots of material, including video material on what these activists are doing in their country.
So I hope I'll see you there at least before the Commissioner General's press conference.
And please don't hesitate, if you want to have any interview with the Laureates, just to remind you that the Committee Against Torture is beginning, that they must be well advanced in the review of the report of Egypt that will be followed by the report of Slovenia.
And this is what I had for you.
Everybody sit in the room for the press conference of the Israeli Prime Minister of Foreign Affairs.
If there are no other questions yet.
Alessandra, No, just if you can repeat Thursday.
The press conference with Mr Lazarini.
The time has been confirmed during the briefing.
So we didn't have the time to send you the invitation, but it will come straight away.
So in fact there's no press conferences scheduled for next week.
I would say not yet, but maybe maybe there are.
But we you know, we, we have certain number of slots pre booked and we announced the press conference along the confirmation that we get from our colleagues.
So I'm pretty sure some were coming because I mean, it would be really useful to have it in advance to organise because last minute, yeah.
I understand that Catherine.
Sometimes we can do it and we do it.
Some others, for example, Mr Lutherini has confirmed the press conference right now.
So as soon as we have the information, we give it to you.
But we are conscious that you need some time for, for organising yourself.
Unfortunately I saw a hand in the in the room, but it's not up anymore.
So let me see in the chat, there was a message in the chat.
I think I've answered this.
Yeah, the the time of the press conference.
So that I think concludes our briefing of today.
Thank you for all the information colleagues have given and their participation in your participation and I'll see you on Friday.
