AP - The Gaza Strip's health minister says there is an acute shortage of medicines and supplies in the territory and he is blaming the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority.
Health Minister Basem Naem says hundreds of medications and supplies have run out.
He also warned Wednesday that all surgeries will be suspended in the next few days if the medicines and supplies don't start reaching Gaza.
The Palestinian Authority, run by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, says it doesn't have enough money to transfer the items. more
Until now, the besieged Gaza Strip has stayed free of the novel coronavirus spreading across the world. As the Gaza Strip has been under a stringent Israeli-led blockade for nearly 13 years, the spread of the coronavirus - officially known as COVID-19 - has become the topic of discussion for many Palestinians, with some joking that the blockade was preventing them from being exposed.But as authorities in the coastal Palestinian enclave gear up to contain any potential outbreak, serious questions have arisen about the risks and implications of such a scenario. But given its already difficult humanitarian situation and high population density, an outbreak in the Gaza Strip could prove to be catastrophic, health officials have warned. "If the virus enters Gaza and spreads, it will get out of hand," Gaza Ministry of Health spokesperson Majdi Thuhair told Middle East Eye, as he explained that a severe shortage of resources and personnel would make it near impossible
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