Latest news with #Balkhy
Days of Palestine
4 days ago
- Health
- Days of Palestine
WHO: Gaza's Children Are Dying from Hunger
DaysofPal – Dr. Hanan Balkhy, Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean at the World Health Organization (WHO), confirmed that children in Gaza are dying of hunger, as famine reaches catastrophic levels under Israel's ongoing blockade. Speaking during the 78th session of the World Health Assembly, Dr. Balkhy addressed the dire humanitarian and health crisis in the Gaza Strip, which has endured more than 20 months of Israeli military aggression and siege. 'The health infrastructure in Gaza is essentially destroyed,' she stated. 'People are living in dangerously unhygienic conditions. Hygiene is the cornerstone of health—and it is simply absent in Gaza.' Dr. Balkhy emphasized that the healthcare system is collapsing. Only a handful of hospitals remain partially operational, while a devastating shortage of medical supplies persists. 'Roughly 41–42% of essential medications are completely unavailable, the same applies to key vaccines. Additionally, around 64% of medical equipment is no longer functioning,' she said. Despite these challenges, she praised the resilience of health workers in Gaza who continue to provide care with minimal resources. Addressing the delivery of humanitarian aid, Dr. Balkhy revealed that 51 WHO aid trucks remain stuck at Gaza's border, unable to enter. 'We're trying to distribute what we can from WHO warehouses, but the incoming food since the eleventh week of this blockade is far from adequate.' 'Hunger and famine levels are now extremely high. People urgently need food and basic nutrition. Children are dying—some from hunger alone,' she warned. 'When people don't eat, they starve. Without food, without medicine or treatment—people die. This is the reality,' she concluded. Since March 2, Israel has maintained a near-total closure of border crossings, blocking humanitarian aid—especially food—into Gaza. This deliberate starvation policy has pushed over 2.4 million Palestinians to the brink of famine, with mounting deaths from hunger and preventable disease. Shortlink for this post:
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Majority of medical equipment supplies at 'stock zero' in Gaza, WHO says
Geneva: The majority of supplies of medical equipment have run out in Gaza, while 42 per cent of basic medicines including pain killers are out of stock, the World Health Organization said on Monday. "We are at stock zero of close to 64% of medical equipment and stock zero of 43% of essential medicines and 42% of vaccines," Hanan Balkhy, the WHO's Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, told reporters in Geneva. Balkhy said the WHO has 51 aid trucks waiting on the Gaza border that have not yet had clearance to enter the Palestinian enclave, where Israel last week slightly eased a total blockade on aid imposed in early March. "Can you imagine a surgeon (fixing) a broken bone with no anaesthesia? IV fluids, needles, bandages - they do not exist in the quantities that are required," she said, adding that basic medications such as antibiotics, pain killers and drugs for chronic diseases were in short supply. After an 11-week blockade, Israel at war with Gaza's dominant militant group Hamas since October 2023 - allowed 100 aid trucks carrying flour, baby food and medical equipment into the Gaza Strip on May 21, none of them from the WHO. Amidst ongoing shortages of medical equipment, the WHO confirmed that it would not take part in an alternative, U.S.-backed aid plan to distribute aid, proposed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. The United Nations has said the foundation is not impartial and its work could cause further displacement of civilians, exposes thousands to harm. The GHF previously told Reuters its plan would enable aid to be delivered to people in need, without diversion to Hamas militants or criminal gangs. Israel stopped all aid deliveries to Gaza on March 2 after accusing Hamas of stealing aid, which it denied, and demanding the release of all remaining hostages taken during Hamas' October 2023 attack on Israel.
AsiaOne
27-05-2025
- Health
- AsiaOne
Majority of medical equipment supplies at 'stock zero' in Gaza, WHO says, World News
GENEVA — The majority of supplies of medical equipment have run out in Gaza, while 42 per cent of basic medicines including pain killers are out of stock, the World Health Organisation said on Monday (May 26). "We are at stock zero of close to 64 per cent of medical equipment and stock zero of 43 per cent of essential medicines and 42 per cent of vaccines," Hanan Balkhy, the WHO's Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, told reporters in Geneva. Balkhy said the WHO has 51 aid trucks waiting on the Gaza border that have not yet had clearance to enter the Palestinian enclave, where Israel last week slightly eased a total blockade on aid imposed in early March. "Can you imagine a surgeon (fixing) a broken bone with no anaesthesia? IV fluids, needles, bandages — they do not exist in the quantities that are required," she said, adding that basic medications such as antibiotics, pain killers and drugs for chronic diseases were in short supply. After an 11-week blockade, Israel — at war with Gaza's dominant militant group Hamas since October 2023 — allowed 100 aid trucks carrying flour, baby food and medical equipment into the Gaza Strip on May 21, none of them from the WHO. Amidst ongoing shortages of medical equipment, the WHO confirmed that it would not take part in an alternative, US-backed aid plan to distribute aid, proposed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. The United Nations has said the foundation is not impartial and its work could cause further displacement of civilians, exposes thousands to harm. The GHF previously told Reuters its plan would enable aid to be delivered to people in need, without diversion to Hamas militants or criminal gangs. Israel stopped all aid deliveries to Gaza on March 2 after accusing Hamas of stealing aid, which it denied, and demanding the release of all remaining hostages taken during Hamas' October 2023 attack on Israel. [[nid:718273]]
Business Recorder
26-05-2025
- Health
- Business Recorder
WHO says trucks with medical aid must be allowed into Gaza
GENEVA: A top World Health Organization official deplored Monday that none of the agency's trucks with medical aid had been allowed to enter the Gaza Strip since Israel ended its blockade. Humanitarian aid has begun trickling back into the Palestinian territory in recent days after more than two months of blocked access. For more than 11 weeks, 'there has been no WHO trucks entering into Gaza for medical care support', the WHO's Eastern Mediterranean regional director Hanan Balkhy told a press conference in Geneva. 'The situation is devastating. We are not only worried about the immediate work that we are supporting, and are willing and hoping to continue to support the people, but we are extremely concerned about the aftermath of this,' she said, citing an impact on generations to come. Israel has stepped up a renewed offensive to destroy the Hamas group, drawing international condemnation of the blockade since early March that has sparked severe food and medical shortages. Sweden PM says to summon Israel envoy over Gaza aid access 'Around 400 trucks were cleared to go into Gaza… but supplies from only 115 trucks have been able to go through – and nothing has reached the besieged north,' said Balkhy, adding that none of those were WHO trucks. She said 51 trucks with medical equipment on board were waiting to cross the border. Ahmed Zouiten, the WHO region's emergencies director, said he hoped it was just a question of time before the UN health agency's trucks could cross into the territory. But he said it was 'too early for us to know' whether they would cross soon or whether there were 'any issues that we have to follow up on'. Israel's renewed offensive has triggered international criticism, with European and Arab leaders meeting in Spain calling for an end to the 'inhumane' and 'senseless' war, while humanitarian groups say the trickle of aid is not nearly enough. Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel that triggered the war resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Hamas also took 251 hostages, 57 of whom remain in Gaza, including 34 who the Israeli military says are dead. On Monday, the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said at least 3,822 people had been killed in the territory since a ceasefire collapsed on March 18, taking the war's overall toll to 53,977, mostly civilians.
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
WHO says trucks with medical aid must be allowed into Gaza
GENEVA: A top World Health Organization official deplored Monday that none of the agency's trucks with medical aid had been allowed to enter the Gaza Strip since Israel ended its blockade. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Humanitarian aid has begun trickling back into the Palestinian territory in recent days after more than two months of blocked access. For more than 11 weeks, "there has been no WHO trucks entering into Gaza for medical care support", the WHO's Eastern Mediterranean regional director Hanan Balkhy told a press conference in Geneva. "The situation is devastating. We are not only worried about the immediate work that we are supporting, and are willing and hoping to continue to support the people, but we are extremely concerned about the aftermath of this," she said, citing an impact on generations to come. Israel has stepped up a renewed offensive to destroy the Hamas militant group, drawing international condemnation of the blockade since early March that has sparked severe food and medical shortages. "Around 400 trucks were cleared to go into Gaza... but supplies from only 115 trucks have been able to go through -- and nothing has reached the besieged north," said Balkhy, adding that none of those were WHO trucks. She said 51 trucks with medical equipment on board were waiting to cross the border. Ahmed Zouiten, the WHO region's emergencies director, said he hoped it was just a question of time before the UN health agency's trucks could cross into the territory. But he said it was "too early for us to know" whether they would cross soon or whether there were "any issues that we have to follow up on". Israel's renewed offensive has triggered international criticism, with European and Arab leaders meeting in Spain calling for an end to the "inhumane" and "senseless" war, while humanitarian groups say the trickle of aid is not nearly enough. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel that triggered the war resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Militants also took 251 hostages, 57 of whom remain in Gaza, including 34 who the Israeli military says are dead. On Monday, the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said at least 3,822 people had been killed in the territory since a ceasefire collapsed on March 18, taking the war's overall toll to 53,977, mostly civilians.
