Iran Health min. Urges intl. Action To Save Civilians In Gaza

In a letter addressed to the international bodies, Mohammad Reza Zafarghandi expressed deep regret over the catastrophic situation in Gaza, calling for humanitarian and coordinated intervention to stop the ongoing disasters in the occupied Palestinian territory.

The scale and purpose of the destruction inflicted upon the civilian population in Gaza, especially children and women, has exceeded the threshold of a humanitarian crisis, he emphasized.

The minister referred to the collapse of the public health system in the Gaza Strip, describing it as the deliberate destruction of the essence of human life.

He urged the international community to respond immediately and effectively to collective punishment, ethnic cleansing, and genocide taking place in the besieged Palestinian territory.

Zafarghandi pointed to the extremely difficult and painful conditions faced by the civilian population in the enclave, saying that many infants are dying in their mothers' arms due to severe malnutrition and dehydration. According to statistics, over 32% of children under two years old are suffering from acute malnutrition, he added.

The health minister also noted that famine is being used as a weapon of war, adding that families have been forced to survive by eating grass, animal feed, and other non-food items, while humanitarian aid is deliberately blocked or destroyed by the Israeli forces.