WHA77 Sees Heated Debate Over Gaza Health Amid Ongoing Attacks

Every year, the World Health Assembly (WHA) discusses health conditions in Palestine, usually leading to a statement urging the World Health Organization (WHO) to continue monitoring and supporting the health system. This year, discussions are even more heated due to ongoing attacks on Gaza.

The debate includes a draft decision submitted by a group of countries led by Algeria. Israel requested an amendment to the decision to denounce the military use of health facilities and call for the release of “all hostages held in Gaza,” which many saw as an attempt to shift the blame for its attacks on Gaza to Hamas. Typically, Israel struggles to keep Palestinian health off the WHA agenda, often failing due to support for Palestine from Global South countries. However, this amendment passed, attributed to many WHO Member States abstaining or not attending the vote. Of the 194 members, less than 100 cast a vote: 50 voted in favor of the amendment and 44 against it. Countries like Ireland, which had stated support for Palestine in other spaces, abstained from voting on the amendment. Following Egypt’s request to withdraw the decision, the matter was postponed until later phases of WHA77.

Meanwhile in Gaza, the Palestine Red Crescent Society reported on May 30 that two of its paramedics, Haitham Tubasi and Suhail Hassouna, were killed in an Israeli attack in Rafah the previous day. Israeli planes targeted the ambulance vehicle and soldiers proceeded to shoot people trying to reach the health workers.

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