“The World Health Organization (WHO) appeals for US $40 million for medicines and medical supplies for the Ministry of Health in Gaza has achieved a response rate of 45%, considering both medical supplies delivered and those in the pipeline, as reported by the Ministry of Health up to September 3,” the World Health Organization stated in a Sunday press release. (WAFA) “In addition, the UN Gaza Appeal which was launched during the emergency and was updated following the ceasefire, requests US$ 23.5 million for health sector intervention to be implemented by UN agencies, including US$ 8.1 million for WHO, and by non-governmental organizations to support health services in Gaza in the recovery period,” the statement added. more

From the International Solidarity Movement - Yesterday evening (July 15th) at approximately 23:05 el-Wafa Rehabilitation hospital in Gaza, near Gaza City, received a call from someone claiming to be from the “Defense department of the Israeli forces”. The caller informed the hospital to evacuate everyone by this morning, and then hung up. At 23:10, a recorded message was left on the hospital’s answer phone stating that the downtown area of the Shajaia neighbourhood should also be evacuated by tomorrow morning. The Shajaia area is two kilometers from the hospital and has a population of approximately 100,000 people. At 23:55, a third call was placed to the hospital from the Israeli military. This caller repeated the evacuation message, stating that it should be carried out by 08:00, “because we don’t want innocent people to get hurt, we care about innocent people, and ask you to leave because we are doing a mass operation in your area.” This message was also written on leaflets dropp...

Israel has been urged to give quick and sustainable health care to Palestinian hunger strikers including their transfer to civilian hospitals. Some 1,600 Palestinian prisoners are currently refusing food in protest against solitary confinement, detention without charge and restrictions on family visits, education and various privileges. They have stated their concern regarding one of the strikers who is suffering from thalassemia a blood condition and has “refused his regular lifesaving blood transfusions in addition to food. The hunger strikers have gained international attention within Europe and the rest of the world. Two of the protestors Bilal Diab and Thaer Halahla marked their 73rd day without food on Friday however the Red Cross and various rights groups say that several prisoners who are also close to death. more

GAZA, May 30, 2011 ( WAFA ) - A Gaza rights group said Monday in a fact sheet that quality of drinking water in the Gaza Strip is way below international standards. Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights said that 95% of the drinking water is below World Health Organization (WHO) standards, stressing that the Israeli practices contributed to decreasing the availability of drinking water and increased level of contamination of Gaza underground water reserves. The fact sheet focused on the Gaza Strip’s desalination stations, especially the quality of the produced water and monitoring policy. It explained that the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territory in 1967 is the main reason for the water shortage and contamination. It reported that the Israeli authorities dug more than 26 wells along the armistice demarcation line between Israel and Gaza in an attempt to prevent the flow of ground water. more

GENEVA ( Ma'an ) -- The caretaker Minister of Health said a new victory was chalked at the World Health Organization's 64th assembly this week, when the body passed a resolution condemning the effects of Israel's occupation on Palestinian healthcare. Fathi Abu Moghli said the draft secured 65 votes, passing the resolution on Wednesday, calling for Israel to take down road blocks currently causing a shortage of medical supplies and treatment. The resolution also calls on Member States and NGOs to provide assistance to meet urgent health and humanitarian needs in the area. Speaking with Ma'an by phone, Abu Moghli said he gave a presentation to the assembly outlining the health situation in Palestine, with a focus on the effects of Israel's siege on Gaza and the network of walls and roadblocks fragmenting the West Bank and making access to health care slow and arduous. The treatment of Palestinians in Israeli jails was also mentioned, using several cases where men and ...