TEHRAN – Health Minister Bahram Einollahi has asked member countries of the World Health Organization Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (EMRO) to form a Doctors Without Borders organization of Islamic countries to provide essential medical services to Palestinians in Gaza.

Einollahi made the remarks while attending the extraordinary meeting of health ministers of the member countries of the WHO EMRO titled ‘Intensification of conflicts in the occupied Palestinian territories’ on Thursday.

The meeting was held virtually with the presence of health ministers of 22 countries, IRNA reported.

Condemning the actions of the notorious Zionist regime, especially the bombardment of hospitals and the killing of sick and defenseless patients and wounded in medical centers, he called for the formation of a Doctors Without Borders organization of Islamic countries to provide relief and humanitarian medical care for the victims of the war in Gaza.

Addressing the health ministers of 22 member countries of the WHO EMRO, he said, "According to the information received, hospitals are overwhelmed and low on fuel and electricity.”

“Also, drinking water and food for sick and pregnant women are not sufficient in Gaza,” he added.

“The health and medical forces in the Gaza Strip are doing their best to reduce the sufferings of the people in Gaza, despite being under the most difficult conditions with hospitals being critically low on supplies.”

He went on to say, “We, the health ministers, must take all necessary action to help the oppressed people of Gaza in order to prevent the genocide and massacre of the innocent people.”

Iran is ready to immediately send medical forces to provide health and medical services in Gaza, and we also ask the member countries of the EMRO to speed up the delivery of aid to Gaza and to open a permanent and reliable route to dispatch medical staff, rescuers and aid to Gaza since every single day delay is associated with the death of hundreds of oppressed women and children in this region.

Einollahi also urged the member countries of the EMRO to issue a joint statement condemning the crimes of the Zionist regime and its violations of international laws.

In the end, he said, “The crimes of the barbaric Zionist regime in shedding the blood of Palestinian civilians including women and children are a violation of all international laws and fundamental principles of human rights.

We welcome any action and cooperation that is carried out at the regional level of Islamic countries or at the international level to establish a ceasefire and prevent the child-killing Zionist regime from killing innocent and oppressed people of Gaza with the support of the United States and its allies.”

Iran ready to send humanitarian aid to Gaza

Some 730 billion rials (around $1.5 million) in humanitarian aid was collected from October 9 until November 8 for people in Gaza through a campaign launched by the Iranian Red Crescent Society.

The campaign aimed to raise funds to help the oppressed people of Gaza is still ongoing, ISNA quoted Vahid Salimi, an official with the IRCS, as saying on Wednesday.

He went on to say, “From the beginning of the official call for the campaign, more than 730 billion rials (almost $1.5 m) have been deposited by people into the official accounts of the Red Crescent Society.”

“Simultaneously, in addition to air cargo, a ship carrying humanitarian aid has been sent to Gaza with the cooperation of the Red Crescent Society of Hormozgan province from Shahid Rajaei port. Other shipments are being loaded in this port,” he added.

On November 7, Iran expressed readiness to provide the people of Gaza with humanitarian aid via Egypt amid a massive humanitarian crisis caused by the Israeli war against the Palestinian enclave. 

The announcement was made in a phone conversation between Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry.

Also, on November 3, the IRCS called the International Committee of the Red Cross to facilitate the process of dispatching humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Razieh Alishvandi, the IRCS director for international affairs, met with Vincent Cassard, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Iran,

The International Committee of the Red Cross should seriously intervene in the clear violation of international humanitarian law and condemn the Zionist regime's airstrikes in the Gaza Strip since it has violated many cases of the four Geneva Conventions, Alishvandi said, IRCS website reported.

Alishvandi stressed, “A safe way should be found to send relief supplies to this country. Iran's humanitarian shipments should reach the people of Gaza as soon as possible.”

A consignment weighing 20,000 tons is being prepared to be sent to Gaza from Iran, and we request the International Committee of the Red Cross to follow up on obtaining the necessary permits from the Egyptian government to send these shipments, she stated.

“Moreover, the Iranian Red Crescent Society is ready to provide medical services to the wounded and treat them by establishing three mobile hospitals along with sending experienced medical staff to Egypt (Palestine border).”

MT/MG