The United Nations is preparing to launch a mission to Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza to provide medical assistance and evaluate the condition of the facility, as stated by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Monday. This initiative follows the recent lifting of the 14-day blockade imposed by Israel on Gaza's largest hospital.
Reports from Gaza's Civil Defense indicate that approximately 300 bodies have been discovered at Al-Shifa Hospital, with one witness likening the aftermath to a scene from a horror movie.
In addition to the planned mission to Al-Shifa Hospital, a team from the World Health Organization (WHO) visited Al-Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza on Sunday. During their visit, an Israeli airstrike targeted a tent camp within the hospital's compound.
UN's under-secretary-general for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths, emphasized the critical role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in providing humanitarian aid in Gaza. Griffiths highlighted that UNRWA serves as the backbone of the humanitarian operation in the region, stressing that any attempt to bypass or sideline the agency would be counterproductive.
Griffiths underscored that UNRWA possesses unparalleled reach, experience, and community trust necessary for effective aid distribution in Gaza. He cautioned that efforts to distribute aid without the involvement of UNRWA are likely to fail due to the agency's unique capabilities and established relationships within the community.
