PALESTINIAN HEALTH MINISTRY WARNS OF UNPRECEDENTED CATASTROPHE IN GAZA AMID ONGOING ISRAELI AGGRESSION

The Ministry of Health has declared an unprecedented global health catastrophe in the Gaza Strip, as the Israeli occupation's aggression persists for seven consecutive months. In a statement released today, the ministry urged the international community, health organizations, and humanitarian agencies to intensify pressure on the Israeli authorities to halt the aggression and save the lives of millions of citizens who have fled their homes to escape the Israeli war machine. The statement warned of an imminent bloodbath if the Israeli occupation launches a massive-scale invasion of Rafah governorate, where over 1.2 million citizens have sought refuge from airstrikes. Rafah has only three partially operational hospitals, lacking adequate public health, water, food, and healthcare prevention measures. The ministry affirmed that Israeli forces deliberately target medical facilities, personnel, and patients daily. "Israeli war machinery has targeted 155 health institutions, leading to the closure of 32 hospital s and 53 health centers, destruction of 130 ambulances, crippling the healthcare system that served our people." The statement added, "The Israeli occupation's aggression has led to the collapse of the healthcare system in the Gaza Strip, depriving patients and wounded individuals of necessary treatment, resulting in many deaths due to the lack of equipment, medicines, medical supplies, food shortages, insufficient personnel, disease outbreaks, and preventing them from seeking treatment outside the Strip." Source: National News Agency - Lebanon