Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus: “Ceasefire now”. White House: even a 3-year-old child among American hostages in Gaza. PNA Premier: “Cyprus-Gaza maritime humanitarian corridor should be created”
The al Shifa hospital no longer functions as such. This was stated by the director general of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, while ”bombings and armed clashes are intensifying” near the largest medical complex in the Gaza Strip, the UN reports. “The situation is terrible and dangerous. For 3 days there has been no electricity, there is no water and there is a very poor internet network – writes Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in X – which has had a strong impact on our ability to provide essential care. The continuous shooting and shelling in the area has exacerbated the already critical circumstances.” “The number of patient deaths has increased significantly – we read again in the post – Unfortunately, the hospital no longer functions as such. The world cannot remain silent while hospitals, which should be safe havens, are transformed into scenes of death, devastation and desperation. Ceasefire. NOW.”
UN: “Three nurses killed at al-Shifa hospital
The UN also reported that three nurses were killed at the hospital. Many critical facilities of the hospital were damaged, including an oxygen generating plant, water tanks and a well, the cardiovascular facility and the maternity ward.
White House: even a 3-year-old child among American hostages in Gaza
There is also a three-year-old child among the nine American citizens who have been held hostage in the Gaza Strip since October 7, the White House said, explaining that the United States remains committed to ”ongoing negotiations” for the release of the hostages. The parents of the kidnapped American child, the White House adds, were killed during the assault.
Borrell: “EU should focus on post-war solutions”
For his part, EU High Representative Josep Borrell, in Brussels on the sidelines of the Foreign Affairs Council, said that EU foreign ministers today should focus on “what will happen” after the war in the Gaza Strip, ” on how we can deal with Gaza, not only to rebuild, but also to offer an integrated solution to the Palestinian question. The solution for Gaza cannot be isolated. I will explain to the ministers what we think, what we think we should support and what we should reject “. “Yesterday we worked all day to disseminate a statement to 27” on the situation in Gaza, he said on the sidelines of the Foreign Affairs Council. “We call for immediate humanitarian pauses to facilitate the flow of aid to Gaza,” he added.
PNA Premier: “Cyprus-Gaza maritime humanitarian corridor should be created”
The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) has proposed the creation of a maritime humanitarian corridor between Cyprus and the Gaza Strip. This was stated by Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh.
White House: even a 3-year-old child among American hostages in Gaza
There is also a three-year-old child among the nine American citizens who have been held hostage in the Gaza Strip since October 7, the White House said, explaining that the United States remains committed to ”ongoing negotiations” for the release of the hostages. The parents of the kidnapped American child, the White House adds, were killed during the assault.
Mo: ANP Prime Minister, ‘Cyprus-Gaza maritime humanitarian corridor should be created’
The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) has proposed the creation of a maritime humanitarian corridor between Cyprus and the Gaza Strip. This was stated by Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh.
Biden-Emir Qatar meeting: “Hostages be released immediately”
US President Joe Biden held a telephone conversation with the Emir of Qatar about the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel, also addressing the hostage crisis. The White House made this known, underlining that ”the two leaders agreed that the hostages should be released without further delay”. During the conversation, Biden reiterated ”his vision for a future Palestinian state where Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side with equal dignity and stability”. From this perspective, Biden added, ”Hamas can no longer represent an obstacle”.
Battle in the hospitals
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) say Hamas has an underground control center near al-Shifa and is using the hospital as a shield. Many fear the building could soon be the target of a major attack. According to witnesses, around 10,000 people are still in the hospital, including some injured too seriously to be moved. Al-Shifa director Mohammad Abu Salamia said 40 children in critical condition could die at any moment. Salamia also denied Israeli claims that his hospital refused fuel supplies under pressure from Hamas, calling the claims a “lie and defamation.”
His response came after Israel’s Foreign Ministry reported that Hamas, which rules Gaza, prevented the hospital from using 300 liters of fuel that Israeli soldiers had placed in containers near the hospital on Saturday evening. Salamia did not deny reports of the containers, but said the quantity would not be enough to run the hospital’s generators for “fifteen minutes.” He said his team feared they would be hit if he left the hospital to get the containers. If Israel really wanted to provide fuel, it could have sent it in cooperation with the Red Cross or another international organization, he said.
All hospitals in Gaza are in difficulty and videos and photos shared online show dozens of injured men, women and children lying on the floor of crowded corridors, waiting for treatment. The Israeli army says it did not deliberately target the health facility, but was looking for militants.
A spokesperson for the Israeli armed forces announced that an air attack was carried out, with fighter jets and other aircraft, against several targets belonging to Hezbollah, the Shiite militia active in southern Lebanon, the Haaretz newspaper reports. Among the targets, a military facility that contained a weapons and ammunition depot.
Source-www.adnkronos.com