U.N. says Gaza short of medical supplies

UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- U.N. officials Tuesday warned there could be a surge in preventable deaths among the wounded in Gaza because of a shortage of medical supplies.

There are hundreds of wounded Palestinians hospitalized in Gaza following airstrikes by Israeli warplanes in response to ongoing rocket attacks by Hamas militants. More than 300 people have already died.

The United Nations World Health Organization has called for an immediate end to the hostilities by both sides and urged Israel to ensure immediate provision of fuel and critical life-saving and trauma care supplies.

"Hundreds of wounded people, including women, children and elderly, lie in hospitals that already lack basic supplies," WHO officials said in a statement issued at U.N. headquarters in New York.

"The inability of the hospitals to cope with a problem of this magnitude, if the situation continues unchanged, will result in a surge in preventable deaths from complications due to trauma."

The international agency said "civilians are paying the price for the prolonged blockade" of Gaza border crossing points.

"As a top priority, the shortages of essential and life-saving medicines need to be abated without delay," WHO said. "The current escalation of the violence only compounds the health situation and unnecessarily exacerbates the fragile status of the civilians caught up in this conflict."

The agency said negotiations with the Israelis are ongoing to guarantee the passage of urgent medical supplies. It also is coordinating with other U.N. agencies, donors and non-governmental organizations to ensure aid arrives to those most in need.