This is the News in Brief from the United Nations. 

Gaza: ‘Endless needs’ reflect spiralling situation as hospitals close, warns WHO

The UN health agency, WHO, has issued a new warning about the desperate situation for people in Gaza where the number of medical facilities operational is “clearly not enough to support the endless needs” created by more than five weeks of hostilities.

Dr Richard Peeperkorn, World Health Organization Representative in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, said that the health system is now “on its knees”, after Hamas militants’ terror attack on Israel on 7 October that left 1,200 dead, prompting heavy bombardment of the enclave by the Israeli military.

Around 240 are still being held hostage by Palestinian militants inside Gaza.

Dr Peeperkorn said that 47 out of 72 primary healthcare centres in the enclave are no longer functioning and others are only partially functioning. Close to 75 per cent of hospitals are no longer operational, he told journalists in Geneva:

“Before the conflict we talked about 3,500 hospital beds but today we talked about an estimated 1,400.  Based on our plans, the needs at the moment will be 5,000 beds.”

In a related development, a top independent UN-appointed rights expert urged Israel to allow clean water and fuel into Gaza “before it is too late”.

Pedro Arrojo-Agudo, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, said that “every hour that passes”, Gazans were at risk of dying of thirst and diseases related to the lack of safe drinking water.

1.35 million deaths and 50 million injuries on the roads each year

Dangerous roads and traffic accidents cause 1.35 million deaths and 50 million injuries every year – and it’s about time we did something about it, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has said.

In a message to highlight World Road Traffic Victims Remembrance Day, on 19 November, the UN chief said that governments “must do more to prevent these entirely preventable tragedies from happening”.

Three years ago, the United Nations launched a global bid to halve the number of road deaths.

The plan involves accelerating countries’ implementation of UN road safety conventions, but also raising public awareness and mobilizing investment in improving road safety.

The UN Road Safety Fund also supports initiatives in low and middle-income countries, where approximately 90 per cent of road deaths happen.

Myanmar’s surrendering soldiers must be treated humanely, says UN rights office

To Myanmar, where the UN human rights office, OHCHR, has said that several hundred professional soldiers who have been captured by armed groups must be treated humanely.

The development comes amid the ongoing armed uprising against Myanmar’s military after generals staged a brutal coup in February 2021.

Armed groups and their allies which oppose the junta are said to have made significant advances, leading to the mass surrender.

The UN rights office also noted that fighting has killed 70 civilians and others not involved in the  fighting, along with more than 200,000 internally displaced since 27 October. 

Grave risks remain to ethnic Rakhine and Rohingya communities, warned spokesperson Jeremy Laurence, who expressed alarm at renewed fighting between the military and Arakan Army in Rakhine State after an informal 12-month ceasefire.

Daniel Johnson, UN News.