Gaza: UN mobilizes preparations to expand aid with ceasefire

UN official Tom Fletcher also urged the Security Council to use its collective voice and weight to insist that the ceasefire be sustainable, respect human rights and remove obstacles to saving lives.

Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for the United Nations, said that the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs continues to receive reports of deaths among Palestinians due to the ongoing bombing of Gaza. He stated that the World Health Organization and its partners yesterday facilitated the medical evacuation of twelve patients and about 30 of their companions from Gaza.

The patients, the majority of whom suffer from cancer and immune disorders, will receive treatment in Albania, France, Norway and Romania. The World Health Organization said that it is urgent for more countries to come forward to receive additional patients to receive specialized treatment, while the ceasefire agreement is implemented.

More than 12,000 patients are awaiting medical evacuation outside Gaza, where the health sector is suffering from major destruction after more than 15 months of conflict.

At the same time, the World Food Program said that it has 80,000 tons of food outside Gaza or on its way to the Strip, enough to feed more than a million people. The program said the ceasefire brings hope, but stressed the need to ensure unrestricted freedom of movement for humanitarian teams and aid to reach those in need.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) reported that more than 1,070 health employees continue to work in medical centers, temporary clinics and medical points throughout Gaza, providing more than 16,000 medical consultations daily.

UNRWA medical teams also provide specialized support to patients. On the 11th of this month, these teams provided care to approximately 1,100 pregnant women and newborns in critical condition, in addition to dental and oral health services for about 600 patients and physical therapy for more than 300 patients.