Arab League Warns of Health Disaster, Famine in Gaza

Cairo, The League of Arab States stressed that the Israeli occupation forces deliberately caused the collapse of the health system in the Gaza Strip, by preventing treatment of the injured, and targeting medical personnel with deliberate killing, detention, and torture, which portends a major health disaster, the spread of diseases and epidemics, and a major famine that threatens the lives of thousands. In a statement on the occasion of World Health Day, which falls on April 7 of each year, Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the Social Affairs Sector of the League of Arab States, Ambassador Dr. Haifa Abu Ghazala denounced the continuation of the occupying power in committing a serious violation of preventing the access of humanitarian aid, which increases the risk of health and humanitarian conditions, noting that this matter will have devastating effects on the health of mothers, children, and the elderly. Abu Ghazala added that the world has been watching, for 183 days, the grave violations committed by Israel (the occupying power), as genocide and war crimes continue against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, expressing the Arab League condemnation of the Israeli occupation forces' ongoing violation human rights, international humanitarian law, and the Fourth Geneva Convention for the Protection of Civilians, and their deliberate continuation of targeting and killing women, children, and the elderly in the Gaza Strip, as well as the systematic bombing of hospitals and all health facilities and destroying its infrastructure. The Arab League Assistant Secretary-General indicated that the World Health Organization and everyone bear the responsibility of continuing to shed light on the unprecedented health and humanitarian crisis of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, and warning of its catastrophic consequences, calling on the international community to assume its responsibilities and stop the war immediately, rebuild the collapsed health sector in the Gaza Strip, and ensure unhindered and con tinuous entry of urgent humanitarian aid into the Strip. On April 7 of every year, the world celebrates World Health Day, which marks the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO). This year's theme, 'My Health, My Right', was chosen to champion the right of everyone, everywhere to have access to quality health services, education, and information, as well as safe drinking water, clean air, good nutrition, quality housing, decent working and environmental conditions, and freedom from discrimination. Source: Qatar News Agency