In a special session of the Executive Council of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland, on Sunday (December 10), Marsudi noted that hospitals in Gaza were being hit hard, including the Indonesian Hospital, which was forced to stop operating on November 16.
"The order by the Israel Defense Force (IDF) to move medical supplies from Khan Younis to a smaller warehouse in Rafah is a serious violation of international law and human rights," the minister emphasized in an online press statement.
She highlighted the worrisome situation of health facilities in Gaza where only 13 out of 36 hospitals are still operating, two to three folds over their capacity.
The minister pointed out that 71 percent of the healthcare facilities in Gaza were not working, and the supplies of medical equipment, medicines, food, clean water, petrol, and electricity were limited.
"Hundreds of medical workers have been killed since Israel attacked Gaza," she stressed.
The WHO has also reported the increasing spread of infectious diseases in Gaza. Some 130 thousand people have acute respiratory infections, followed by more than 94 thousand cases of diarrhea and more than 2,700 cases of chicken pox.
"Therefore, it is important for Indonesia to attend this session to directly contribute, emphasize the importance of improving health facilities and protecting health facilities and personnel, including, of course, Indonesian Hospital health facilities," Marsudi said.
The Executive Council is WHO's executive body under the World Health Assembly that has 34 member countries. Indonesia became a member of the WHO Executive Board in the 2018-2021 period.
Israel resumed military attacks on the Gaza Strip on December 1 after the one-week humanitarian pause ended.
Nearly 18,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 49,000 others injured in Israeli attacks on Gaza, following the cross-border attacks in Israel on October 7 by Hamas that killed 1,200 Israelis.
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Translator: Yashinta Difa P, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Tia Mutiasari
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