The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have warned that Israel's move will lead to a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
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United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs spokesman Lake said on May 3 local time that the Israeli army's large-scale military operation against Rafah "will cause a large number of civilian casualties and an incredible blow to humanitarian operations throughout the Gaza Strip."
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Spokesperson Lake: If [Israel attacks Rafah], hundreds of thousands of people there will be at imminent risk of death. We therefore believe that, if that happens, the scenario warned by the Emergency Relief Coordinator could turn into a massacre of civilians, as well as an incredible impact on humanitarian operations throughout the Gaza Strip, which operates mainly in Rafah.
WHO representative in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Piperkorn, said on the 3rd that although the WHO has developed a contingency plan for the situation in Rafah, including the construction of a new field hospital, the plan is not enough to prevent a significant increase in the death toll. If the Israeli army persists in launching a large-scale military operation against Rafah, it will further displace more civilians and further deteriorate the supply situation.
WHO Representative in the Occupied Palestinian Territory Pipercohen: Because of the medical supplies now, almost all of them are coming in through the Rafah crossing. As you can see, it's actually part of the contingency plan. We are very concerned that if military action is taken, the Rafah crossing may be closed.
Currently, more than 1.2 million people have taken refuge in Rafah, the southernmost part of the Gaza Strip, and only 33 per cent of the 36 hospitals and 30 per cent of the primary health centres in the Gaza Strip are currently functioning to some extent due to ongoing attacks and shortages of vital medical supplies, fuel and health personnel. WHO calls for an immediate and lasting ceasefire and the removal of obstacles to the delivery of emergency humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip. It also called for the active protection of health facilities and the safety of health and humanitarian workers.
Source: CCTV News