In a crucial emergency session held on Sunday in Geneva, the Executive Board of the World Health Organization (WHO) unanimously adopted a resolution, signaling a collective effort to tackle the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. The resolution, the first of its kind to receive consensus within the UN system since 7 October, highlights the significance of health as a universal priority and emphasizes the role of healthcare and humanitarianism in promoting peace, even in the most challenging circumstances.

The resolution specifically calls for the "immediate, sustained and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief, including the access of medical personnel" in the Gaza Strip, where the situation has reached a critical juncture. It applauds the efforts of the WHO and health cluster partners on the ground for their dedication to delivering essential services amidst extremely difficult conditions.

The WHO Executive Board comprises 34 healthcare professionals, each designated by a Member State elected by the World Health Assembly. Their collective action demonstrates a united front in addressing the pressing healthcare needs in the region.

On Saturday, the WHO, alongside its partners in Gaza, managed to deliver supplies for up to 1,500 patients and successfully transferred patients from the Al-Ahli Hospital in the north to another medical facility in the south. These efforts, carried out amid challenging circumstances, underline the commitment of healthcare workers to ensure the continuity of essential services amidst the ongoing crisis.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of WHO, expressed his condemnation of the "barbaric and unjustifiable attacks by Hamas on Israel" on 7 October, which tragically resulted in the loss of more than 1,200 lives. He also expressed concern over reports of gender-based violence during the attacks and the mistreatment of hostages. Dr. Tedros empathetically acknowledged the anguish experienced by both the Israeli people and the people of Gaza, who have endured years of blockade and who are now facing the destruction of their homes and communities.

Since 7 October, the WHO has documented more than 449 attacks on healthcare in Gaza and the West Bank, along with 60 attacks on healthcare facilities in Israel. Dr. Tedros stressed that healthcare should never be a target and lamented the loss of over 100 UN colleagues in Gaza, including their own staff member, Dima Alhaj, who tragically perished alongside her six-month-old son, husband, and two brothers.

The adopted resolution tasks Dr. Tedros with reporting on the public health implications of the crisis, strengthening technical and material assistance, and fostering collaborations with other healthcare providers. The WHO Director-General commended UN Secretary-General António Guterres's invocation of Article 99 as an emergency tool and his call for a humanitarian ceasefire, highlighting that such measures are crucial for the protection and promotion of the health of the people of Gaza. Dr. Tedros expressed regret over the Security Council's failure to adopt a resolution endorsing this ceasefire.

In closing remarks, Dr. Tedros acknowledged that the resolution served as a starting point rather than a comprehensive solution to the crisis. He reiterated the need for collective efforts to build upon the platform established by the resolution. In response, Israel's Ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Meirav Eilon Shahar, deplored the omission of references to hostages in the resolution and criticized its failure to condemn "Hamas terrorism" and the group's use of human shields. She labeled the text a "complete moral failure for the international community."

As the WHO's resolution sets the foundation for addressing the dire humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, it is evident that collaborative action is imperative to alleviate the suffering of the people and restore stability and access to essential healthcare services in the region.