MIDDLE EAST CRISIS LIVE: Security Council holds emergency meeting on collapse of Gaza health system
January 3, 2025, 12:00 PM
Gaza City, Gaza Strip
The United Nations Security Council is holding an emergency meeting today to discuss the deteriorating health situation in the Gaza Strip, where the healthcare system is on the brink of collapse.
The meeting was called by the United Kingdom, which holds the Security Council presidency this month. The UK’s ambassador to the UN, Barbara Woodward, said that the situation in Gaza is “dire” and that the Security Council must act to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe.
“The healthcare system in Gaza is on the brink of collapse,” Woodward said. “Hospitals are overcrowded, there is a shortage of medical supplies, and the staff are exhausted. The people of Gaza are suffering, and we cannot afford to wait any longer.”
The collapse of the health system in Gaza is the result of a decade-long blockade by Israel. The blockade has severely restricted the movement of people and goods into and out of Gaza, making it difficult to get medical supplies and equipment into the territory.
The blockade has also led to a severe shortage of electricity in Gaza. This has made it difficult to run hospitals and clinics, and has also led to a shortage of clean water.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza is the worst it has been since the 2014 war between Israel and Hamas. The war left more than 2,000 Palestinians dead and tens of thousands injured.
The Security Council is expected to issue a statement after the meeting, calling for an end to the blockade and for urgent humanitarian assistance to be provided to Gaza. However, it is unclear whether the statement will be strong enough to force Israel to change its policy.
In the meantime, the people of Gaza continue to suffer. The healthcare system is on the brink of collapse, and there is a real risk of a humanitarian catastrophe. The international community must act now to prevent this from happening.
Updates
- The Security Council has issued a statement calling for an end to the blockade of Gaza and for urgent humanitarian assistance to be provided to the territory.
- The statement was adopted by a vote of 14-0, with the United States abstaining.
- The United States said that it supports the call for an end to the blockade, but that it does not believe that the statement goes far enough.
- The US said that it will continue to work with its partners to find a way to end the blockade and to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
MIDDLE EAST CRISIS LIVE: Security Council holds emergency meeting on collapse of Gaza health system
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