UN agencies, with the World Health Organization (WHO) at the forefront, are preparing to increase their operations in Gaza with the imminent entry into force of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, scheduled for this Sunday. This truce is considered a crucial moment, as the WHO has estimated that approximately $10 billion will be required for the reconstruction of the devastated healthcare system in the region.
The cessation of hostilities is expected to allow the entry of between 500 and 600 trucks with daily supplies into Gaza, a considerably higher number than the 40-50 trucks that had been authorized by Israel in recent weeks. In response to the serious health crisis, the WHO has begun to mobilize “critical supplies” and has ordered the construction of prefabricated clinics, which will be integrated with existing health centers to increase capacity. Additionally, the organization hopes to facilitate the evacuation of those in need of urgent medical treatment outside the Strip, highlighting that around 12,000 people require immediate attention, with a third of them being children.
The WHO’s representative for the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Rick Peeperkorn, emphasized that between November 27 and December 24, 2024, only 29 of the 1,200 requests for evacuation were authorized, which indicates major obstacles in approval processes and access to healthcare. Peeperkorn also warned that the number of deaths in the conflict could exceed 70,000, considering it an underestimation of the officially reported figures, and added that indirect deaths, resulting from the lack of treatment for chronic diseases, could number in the tens of thousands in the last 15 months.
Meanwhile, a group of independent human rights experts has demanded justice for the war crimes and genocide committed in Gaza, stating that the only solution to end cycles of violence lies in the cessation of occupation and apartheid, as well as in ensuring justice for the abuses committed. The experts emphasize that it is “essential” for Gaza to be governed by a legitimate Palestinian leadership, rejecting any form of externally imposed control.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has also been working to address the situation in the region, visiting peacekeeping forces in southern Lebanon, where he highlighted that his mission operates in a complex environment and that Israeli occupation in that area violates Security Council resolutions, destabilizing the country.
Finally, violence in other parts of the world has also caught the attention of the UN, as evidenced by the recent murder of five peace signatories in Catatumbo, Colombia. This act has led the head of the UN mission in the country to condemn the violence and call for respect for the lives of those working for peace. In response, Colombian President Gustavo Petro has decided to suspend peace talks with the guerrilla group National Liberation Army, accusing them of committing “war crimes.”
via: MiMub in Spanish
