Tedros spoke of the “barbaric” Hamas attacks on Israel, “followed by the unleashing of a devastating attack on Gaza”.
The bloodiest ever Gaza war erupted when Hamas attacked southern Israel on Oct 7 and killed about 1,140 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.
They took 250 hostages of whom 129 remain inside Gaza.
Israel launched an extensive aerial bombardment and ground invasion. The campaign has killed 20,915 people, mostly women and children, according to Hamas-run Gaza’s health ministry.
“Relief efforts are not coming close to meeting the needs of people in Gaza,” Tedros said, underscoring the WHO’s call for an immediate ceasefire.
A resurgence of cholera, with a record number of 40-plus outbreaks around the world, is also “especially concerning”, he added.
As he closed out the WHO’s 75th year, Tedros said that in terms of emergency preparedness and response, gaps remain in the world’s readiness to prevent the next pandemic.
“But 2024 offers a unique opportunity to address these gaps,” he said, with countries negotiating the first-ever global agreement on pandemic threats.
“The pandemic accord is being designed to bridge the gaps in global collaboration, cooperation and equity,” said Tedros.
Source: CNA
