JERUSALEM,
August 7, 2014 – “Casualties now exceed the number of the previous two
conflicts in Gaza combined, in 2008–2009 and in 2012,” Thursday said the World
Health Organization in a special
situation report on Gaza.
“From
initial assessments, 3000 structures have been completely destroyed and 30 000
damaged, Thursday said the World Health Organization,” added the report.
“A
ceasefire began on the 5th of August following several days of
intense violence in many areas in the Gaza Strip. The Ministry of Health (MoH)
estimates that at least 100 people may have been buried under rubble of
destroyed buildings but ambulances could not evacuate them during the
continuous violence,” the WHO said.
“Three
ambulance workers were killed while attempting to evacuate patients in Rafah.”
Hospitals
are treating a constant influx of new casualties in already overcrowded
facilities and with vastly reduced supply of electricity, following last week’s
destruction of the Gaza power plant and most of the main power lines into Gaza
from Israel.
Only
40% of hospital staff has been able to report for work and existing health staff
is fatigued, with critical staff working 24-hours shifts. Resources are
limited: donated medical supplies had been maintaining only minimum levels of
essential medicines due to the heavy caseload of wounded.
M.N./T.R.
