WHO to hold emergency meeting on health crisis in Gaza

The World Health Organisation (WHO) will hold an emergency meeting on 10 December with the Palestinian envoy who is seeking improved medical access to Gaza.

The UN health agency said on Monday that it had received requests from 15 countries to hold the session, which will be chaired by Qatar.

The Palestinian ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Ibrahim Khraishi, said the meeting would focus on Gaza, but also cover attacks on the health sector in the West Bank.

He added that he would call for an end to Israeli targeting of the health sector and for more medical aid to be sent to the strip.

Israeli air strikes and dwindling fuel supplies to the besieged enclave have crippled most of Gaza's hospitals. The few that remain operational are overwhelmed with the number of wounded arriving. 

According to a WHO database, there have been 427 attacks on healthcare facilities in Palestinian territories since the Israeli assault began on 7 October.