Humanitarian corridor in Gaza “necessary” to supply medical services, protect civilians, WHO says

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday said a humanitarian corridor in besieged Gaza is necessary to provide medical services, supplies and protect civilians.

“We need a corridor to provide medical services. One, is to protect civilians. And second, to provide them with the support they need, be it food, medical services, supplies,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Lyon, France where he attended a WHO Academy ceremony.

“I think those who need support should be supported and those who need protection should be protected,” Tedros said, adding that he came back from Cairo on Wednesday, where he met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and agreed on transferring medical supplies to Gaza via the Rafah crossing.

More than 2,700 people have been killed since the outbreak of the conflict on Saturday, including over 1,400 Palestinians and 1,300 Israelis.