Geneva, 11 December 2023 (WAI): By unanimous vote, the Executive Board of the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted a resolution demanding immediate attention to the dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
The urgent need for the Gazan people to have prompt, unhindered access to life-saving supplies is highlighted by this historic decision, which represents the first consensus resolution on the crisis inside the UN system since October 7.
The resolution, which was approved by all 34 member states in unanimity, expresses “deep concern” about the effects of the ongoing conflict on the civilian population while acknowledging the “grave deterioration” of health conditions in Gaza.
Strong criticism was voiced by World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus for the “barbaric and unjustifiable attacks by Hamas on Israel on October 7, claiming the lives of more than 1,200 people.”
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He expressed his extreme worry over allegations of hostage-taking and gender-based abuse during these assaults. Dr. Tedros reaffirmed his demand for the liberation of all captives even as he acknowledged the release of 114 detainees.
He was aware of the intense feelings that the Israeli people were feeling in the wake of the assaults, and he also understood the pain and terror that the people of Gaza were feeling after 16 years of siege and the impending destruction of their homes, families, and communities.
Last week, he appealed the UN Chief’s use of Article 99, a robust emergency measure, and supported António Guterres’s call for a humanitarian truce.
He underlined that “health is affected in the absence of peace, and peace remains elusive in the absence of a ceasefire. I pray every Member State, especially those with substantial sway, to step up efforts to resolve this problem as soon as possible.
In his words, this strategy is “the only way to truly safeguard and advance the health of the people of Gaza.” Tedros expressed his extreme dissatisfaction at the Security Council’s failure to adopt a resolution about a ceasefire of this kind last Friday.
An International Relations graduate, with a keen interest in diverse areas of IR; diplomacy, global politics & human rights.
