A Palestinian woman eats bread in Rafah in the southern gaza Strip on March 4, 2024 (Photo by AFP)
Doha, Qatar: The UNGA president says the situation in the besieged coastal enclave is “unconscionable and shameful”.
Meanwhile, The Health Ministry says it has detected about one million cases of infectious diseases, without having the necessary medical capabilities to treat them, as it described the medical situation in the Gaza Strip as “extremely catastrophic”.
In his turn, WHO chief shares ‘grim findings’ after agency visits north Gaza hospitals, pointing out to “severe levels of malnutrition, children dying of starvation, serious shortages of fuel, food and medical supplies, hospital buildings destroyed”.
More than 100 people have been killed in the past 24 hours in Israeli bombardment, taking the death toll to at least 30,534, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza.
Watch this page for more live updates:
[11pm Doha Time] 'US supports UN probe into killing of aid seekers'
US Department of State spokesman Matthew Miller said that the United States is in support of the United Nation’s investigation into Israeli forces' attack on Palestinians waiting for aid distribution in Gaza City that killed more than 100 and left over 700 wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
[6:50pm Doha Time] Israeli forces shoot dead Palestinian boy in Burin
An 11-year-old child was shot with live ammunition in the head and was evacuated to hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds, the Red Crescent said.
Amr Najjar was killed in Burin, a village southwest of Nablus, the PRCS said.
Two other Palestinians were injured in the village as well: A 19-year-old man, who was shot in the chest, and a 30-year-old man, who was physically assaulted by Israeli soldiers, resulting in head wounds.
[6:45pm Doha Time] Situation in Gaza is catastrophic: UNGA
Dennis Francis says that the situation in the besieged coastal enclave is “unconscionable and shameful”.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly, he said: “I am shocked and horrified at the reported killing and injury of hundreds of people during disbursement of food supplies, west of Gaza City last week”.
Francis warns that an Israeli invasion of Rafah would leave an already fragile humanitarian operation at death’s door. “I, therefore, urgently call for maximum restraint to prevail in order to save innocent civilian lives.”
“Let me close with a reminder that this week marks a grim milestone: 150 days of violence … each day this painful reality continues to entrench the feeling of frustration and disillusionment – especially by those caught in the crossfire,” he said.
“With resolve and urgency, let us therefore work much harder to immediately end this conflict and to lay down the foundations for a future where Israel and the State of Palestine can co-exist peacefully – two States living side by side in harmony”
— UN News (@UN_News_Centre) March 4, 2024
– Dennis Francis @UN_PGA pic.twitter.com/ZT7LDPqZnl
[5:55pm Doha Time] WHO chief shares ‘grim findings’ after agency visits north Gaza hospitals
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X that the World Health Organization (WHO) has visited al-Awda and Kamal Adwan hospitals in northern Gaza over the weekend.
He said the WHO team found “severe levels of malnutrition, children dying of starvation, serious shortages of fuel, food and medical supplies, hospital buildings destroyed”.
“The situation at Al-Awda Hospital is particularly appalling, as one of the buildings is destroyed,” he said in a post on X.
“Kamal Adwan Hospital is the only paediatrics hospital in the north of Gaza and is overwhelmed with patients. The lack of food resulted in the deaths of 10 children. The lack of electricity poses a serious threat to patient care, especially in critical areas like the intensive care unit and the neonatal unit,” Tedros added.
He said the WHO managed to deliver 9,500 litres (2,509 gallons) of fuel to each hospital and some essential medical supplies.
“We appeal to Israel to ensure humanitarian aid can be delivered safely and regularly. Civilians, especially children, and health staff need scaled-up help immediately. But the key medicine all these patients need is peace. Ceasefire,” Tedros added.
Grim findings during @WHO visits to Al-Awda and Kamal Adwan hospitals in northern #Gaza: severe levels of malnutrition, children dying of starvation, serious shortages of fuel, food and medical supplies, hospital buildings destroyed.
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) March 4, 2024
The visits over the weekend were the first… pic.twitter.com/CxaCuau7iR
[3:35pm Doha Time] Gaza 'powder keg' could spark wider war: UN rights chief
A Palestinian boy stands outside his home next to a damaged UN car in Rafah in the southern gaza Strip on March 4, 2024. (Photo by AFP)
Geneva: The situation in Gaza between Israel and Hamas is a "powder keg" with the potential to spark broader conflict in the Middle East, UN human rights chief Volker Turk said Monday.
Turk said it was imperative to to take all possible measures to avoid a wider conflagration.
"The war in Gaza has already generated dangerous spillover in neighbouring countries," he said in his global update to the United Nations Human Rights Council. Read more
[2:10pm Doha Time] Israel arrests 55 Palestinians overnight in occupied West Bank
The Israeli army has arrested dozens of Palestinians, including children and former prisoners, across the occupied West Bank overnight.
The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society said in a statement the arrest operations were concentrated in the Hebron governorate, where 22 Palestinians were arrested.
The rest of the arrests took place in the governorates of Tubas, Bethlehem, Qalqilya, Jerusalem and Ramallah.
The total number of arrests since the start of the war has risen to about 7,400, the organisation said.
[1:20pm Doha Time] Gaza Health Ministry: We detected about one million cases of infectious diseases
The Health Ministry says it has detected about one million cases of infectious diseases, without having the necessary medical capabilities to treat them, as it described the medical situation in the Gaza Strip as “extremely catastrophic”.
In a statement released on Monday, the ministry stressed that the Israeli occupation deliberately caused an unspeakable humanitarian and health catastrophe, which contributed to the spread of epidemics and infectious diseases.
The ministry also confirmed that the residents of the northern Gaza Strip are struggling with death as a result of famine that has exceeded global levels due to the scarcity of water and food.
The ministry said that Israel has killed 364 health workers and arrested 269, including hospital directors, during the 150 days of the aggression on the Gaza Strip.
It added that Israel has destroyed 155 health institutions, put 32 hospitals and 53 health centres out of service, and targeted 126 ambulances.
Wounded Palestinian Nidal al-Gharib, who lost his wife and daughter, walks past his neighbours' house destroyed by Israeli bombing in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on March 4, 2024. (Photo by MOHAMMED ABED / AFP)
[11:45am Doha Time] Death toll in Israel’s war on Gaza rises to 30,534
More than 100 people have been killed in the past 24 hours in Israeli bombardment, taking the death toll to at least 30,534, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza.
Israel’s military offensive since October 7 has wounded 71,920 people in the besieged Palestinian enclave of 2.3 million people, the ministry said.
[10:45am Doha Time] Number of children dying of malnutrition in Gaza rises to 16
A Palestinian child eats bread in Rafah in the southern gaza Strip on March 4, 2024 (Photo by Mohammed ABED / AFP)
Medical sources have confirmed that the number of Palestinian children who died as a result of malnutrition and inadequate medical care had increased to 16, following the death of a child at Abu Youssef al-Najjar Hospital in Rafah. Read more
