With hundreds killed and more than 30,000 injured so far during the Gaza-Israel border protests, known as “The Great March of Return”, many Palestinians are now facing a future of life-long disability, unable to get the treatment they need.  

Referring to the “devastating impacts in human terms”, Matthias Schmale, director of the UN relief agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) has warned in an interview with UN News, that local hospitals do not have the capacity to deal with the most serious health cases, with 40 per cent of requests for permits to leave Gaza for treatment denied by Israel last month.  

During a visit to UN Headquarters in New York to highlight the upcoming pledging conference for UNRWA on 25 June, Mr. Schmale spoke to May Yaacoub of our UN News Arabic service.