Grave health conditions in the OPT/Gaza as a result of Israeli military operations – WHO Exec. Board – resolution

124th WHO Executive Board session

19-26 January 2009

Geneva, Switzerland

WHO Executive Board resolution:

The grave health situation caused by Israeli military operations in the occupied Palestinian territory, particularly in the occupied Gaza Strip

EB124.R4

Agenda item 4.16 21 January 2009

The Executive Board,

Guided by the principles and objectives of the Charter of the United Nations, the Constitution of WHO, international law and international humanitarian law and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;

Affirming that all human rights are interdependent and complementary and that the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition;

Confirming the applicability of the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, to the occupied Palestinian territory;

Referring to the reports and statements issued by the World Health Organization, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the United Nations Children’s Fund and other international and regional organizations, relating to the deteriorating health and humanitarian situation in the occupied Gaza Strip as a result of Israeli military operations;

Recognizing also that the Israeli blockade imposed on the occupied Gaza Strip and prevention of the passage and delivery of humanitarian supplies of medicines, food and fuel will lead to grave health and humanitarian consequences;

Expressing its deep concern regarding the consequences of Israeli military operations in the occupied Gaza Strip, which have, thus far, resulted in the killing of more than 1300 persons and injured thousands of Palestinian civilians, more than half of whom are women, children, infants and elderly persons;

Expressing its deep concern about the serious deterioration of the health conditions of all Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territory and in the Gaza Strip in particular;

Asserting the right of patients as well as Palestinian and other medical personnel to access Palestinian health institutions,

1. WELCOMES and emphasizes the respect of the ceasefire from both parties and calls for a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza Strip, to lift its blockade and to open all border crossings to allow access and free movement of humanitarian aid to the occupied Gaza Strip, including reinforcing of humanitarian corridors to ensure the delivery of humanitarian medical and food aid and to facilitate the passage of medical teams and the transfer of the wounded and injured;

2. STRESSES avoiding targeting civilians and residential areas from both sides in accordance with the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War and avoiding of targeting of hospitals, clinics, medical centres, ambulance and emergency crews and food and medicine warehouses;

3. CALLS upon providing Palestinian people with the protection to live in security on their land, allowing them free movement and facilitating the tasks of medical teams, ambulances and emergency relief efforts, and enabling them to continue to provide health services;

4. CALLS for the urgent provision of necessary support for the Palestinian people by making available the urgent and immediate needs of ambulances and medical teams, medicines and medical supplies, as well as necessary coordination measures to facilitate the passage of this assistance to the Gaza Strip in support of the health sector and preventing the collapse of health institutions;

5. CALLS for contribution to the reconstruction of the health infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, which has been destroyed by the Israeli military operations;

6. REQUESTS the Director-General to dispatch an urgent specialized health mission to identify the urgent health and humanitarian needs and assess the destruction of medical facilities that has occurred in the occupied Palestinian territory, particularly in the Gaza Strip and to submit a report on current, medium- and long-term needs on the direct and indirect effects on health of the Israeli military operations to the Sixty-second World Health Assembly.

Fifth meeting, 21 January 2009

EB124/SR/5

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