(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) GENEVA Oct 2 (KUNA) - - A new World Health Organization (WHO) report released Thursday revealed that nearly 42.000 people in the Gaza Strip, one in four of them children, are suffering from life-changing injuries as a result of the ongoing conflict.
The report noted that these injuries account for a quarter of all reported cases while the number of amputations has surpassed 5.000. Cases of complex facial and eye trauma are also on the rise leaving many at risk of permanent disability and disfigurement.
Speaking at a press conference in Geneva WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that the two-year-long war has shattered Gazaآ's health system and inflicted enormous suffering on its people.
He confirmed that WHO has documented 1.719 attacks on medical facilities in Gaza and the West Bank which killed nearly 1.800 health workers and at least 543 aid workers.
He reported that more than 66.000 people have been killed and over 170.000 injured since the start of the war with many of the injuries being catastrophic. These include amputations severe burns spinal cord and brain injuries as well as facial and eye damage that cause lifelong impairments and disfigurements.
The WHO chief added that only 14 of Gazaآ's 36 hospitals remain partially functional with none operating at full capacity due to widespread destruction of health infrastructure.
He further noted that WHO has supported the medical evacuation of 7.841 patients for treatment outside Gaza most of them trauma victims and patients suffering from cancer heart disease and
ophthalmic conditions. However some 15.600 patients including 3.800 children remain on the waiting list for evacuation.
Ghebreyesus welcomed the "Gaza peace plan" proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump and backed by several countries describing it as a potential step towards an immediate ceasefire the release of all hostages the resumption of humanitarian aid and the reconstruction of hospitals and health services in the Strip. (end)
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