Gaza: Increased Number of Casualties Stretching UN Ability to Treat Those in Need – Daily Press Briefing by SecGen Spokesman (excerpts)

• The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) indicate that the influx of casualties over the past two weeks, totaling 30 killed and nearly 3,000 injured, has stretched their ability to cope with urgent medical treatment needs.
• The largest UN medical shipment to have entered Gaza since the beginning of the year has provided hospitals in Gaza with essential lifesaving drugs and other supplies to meet urgent medical needs. It will help respond to the needs of 100,000 children and mothers in Gaza.
• Health workers in Gaza are trying to fill gaps of emergency trauma doctors, essential drug items, laboratory materials and medical disposable, blood, spare parts and fuel. Urgent funding is needed to address shortfalls.
• So far, $3 million of the $27 million needed for emergency health support in the occupied Palestinian territory has been received.
• At the same time, the Gaza Electricity Distribution Company (GEDCO) reports it is operating at just one-quarter of its capacity, due to a lack of financial resources. Daily power outages remain at 18-20 hours, severely disrupting the provision of basic services in Gaza, including at hospitals as they struggle to cope with the spike in casualties.

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