WHO deeply concerned with escalating situation in Gaza Strip

The World Health Organization (WHO) said Saturday evening it is deeply concerned with the escalating situation in the Gaza Strip and Israel and its impact on the health and lives of civilians. WHO said in a statement that before the hostilities began, health facilities had been severely over stretched mainly due to the siege of Gaza -- there has been a lack of investment in training, equipment and infrastructure, poor maintenance of medical equipment and frequent interruptions of power supplies. The Ministry of Health in Gaza was also facing critical shortages of drugs and disposables, according to WHO. Consequently, Gazan hospitals are now having to deal with the growing number of casualties with severely depleted medical supplies. WHO is working with its partners and local authorities to ensure that essential medicines and medical consumables are delivered to where they are needed most. WHO has appealed to the international and regional community for urgent financial support to provide essential medicines to cover pre-existing shortages, as well as emergency supplies for treating casualties and chronic illness. The death toll of Palestinians has risen to 45 since Wednesday afternoon, with another 500 people injured, the Ministry of Health in Gaza said Saturday night.