WHO appeals for $10 million in urgent aid for Gaza

GENEVA - Agence France-Presse

A Palestinian firefighter tries to extinguish a fire in the building following an Israeli air strike in Gaza City, Sunday, Nov. 18, 2012. AP photo

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Sunday launched an urgent appeal to raise $10 million (7.8 million euros) in a bid to provide medical supplies to the Gaza Strip, where many stocks have been used up. The appeal came as Israel threatened to expand its assault on Gaza and pressed ahead with a fifth day of strikes to stop Hamas rocket fire, killing six people including four children as truce efforts intensified.
 
WHO urged the international and regional community for financial support to make up for what it said are low or non-existent medical supply stocks.
 
"Many of the drugs at zero stock are lifesaving," WHO said in a statement. "Gaza hospitals are now having to deal with the growing number of casualties with severely depleted medical supplies." It said it requires $10 million "to cover all medicines and medical supplies for three months." Among the wounds Gaza medical workers are trying to treat are serious burns, injuries from falling buildings and head injuries.