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STORY: GAZA / UNOPS VISIT
TRT: 8:17
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 13 FEBRUARY 2025, KHAN YUNIS CITY, SOUTHERN GAZA STRIP
1. Various shots, Jorge Moreira da Silva, Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Project Service, arriving at the European Gaza Hospital in the southern Gaza Strip
2. Various shots, Moreira da Silva during his inspection tour inside the European Gaza Hospital in the southern Gaza Strip
3. Various shots, Moreira da Silva while inspecting the electrical power systems at the European Gaza Hospital in the southern Gaza Strip.
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Jorge Moreira da Silva, Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Project Service (UNOPS):
“I'm in Gaza at the European hospital, one of the most important hospitals in Gaza. And I'm facing a very difficult circumstances without the capacity to provide at the normal level, without the medicines, without all the supplies, without water, without electricity. Before the war, UNOPS had provided and installed the solar panels that used to be here, 1,500 solar panels that used to be here. During the war, those panels disappeared because people didn't have any other option to get electricity at home. And even some of the internal displaced people had to live below the panels because there was no other place to live because they lost their homes. Now this hospital can no longer rely on solar energy, electricity, because it's gone. They rely on the fuel that is provided now by UNOPS. We bring the fuel every day, and from the fuel they produce electricity from those generators. Those generators produce electricity from the fuel. But as you can see here, some generators are broken. And the spare parts are not allowed to come into Gaza to replace those generators. So this is a very difficult situation for the hospital. They used to rely on solar. Solar is gone. Now they rely on fossil fuel. The good news is that we are bringing the fossil fuel every day. Because the generators are not functioning efficiently, and therefore we need quickly to bring more humanitarian aid and to prepare the early recovery.”
5. Various shots, during Moreira da Silva's inspection tour inside the European Gaza Hospital in the southern Gaza Strip
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Jorge Moreira da Silva, Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Project Service (UNOPS):
“I was very honored to visit, with the leadership of the hospital, the European hospital here in Gaza. This is one of the most important hospitals in Gaza, but also a hospital that has faced very difficult circumstances during those 15 months. I heard today that they have been facing with a lack of equipment, medical supplies, antibiotics, surgery, anesthetics, but also facing with a lack of water and electricity. We know that even three babies lost their lives because there was no electricity and the incubators didn't work. We need to bring all the conditions that are needed on health. This is not just about equipment, this is not just about the medicines, that is fundamental, but also bringing water, safe and sustainable water, and bringing electricity. UNOPS is committed to supporting, not only on the short term through humanitarian aid, but also preparing for the next phase with early recovery and reconstruction. And for that it is fundamental that this ceasefire lasts.”
6. Various shots, a fuel station in the Gaza Strip overseen by the United Nations Office for Project Services.
7. Various shots, workers at a fuel station in the Gaza Strip overseen by the United Nations Office for Project Services.
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Jorge Moreira da Silva, Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Project Service (UNOPS):
“In absence of other sources of energy, fuel is the only way to get the hospitals, the schools, the bakeries, the houses functioning in Gaza. We have been saying this from the very first day of the conflict, and that's why we have seen immense progress in the last three weeks. Before the ceasefire, UNOPS could only bring per day 100,000 liters. Now, with the ceasefire, we went through a new process on procurement and distribution, bringing and distributing 1.3 million liters per day. This is fundamental for all sectors, particularly on health. I just heard one example that is very eloquent. Before the ceasefire, this colleague couldn't get the nine ambulances that he manages functioning. There was no fuel. The nine ambulances were stopped. Now that we are bringing the fuel and distributing the fuel with no shortages, the ambulances are full functioning. This is a critical element for the short term, but also for the longer term. And on top of this, UNOPS is not just bringing the fuel and distributing the fuel. We are also monitoring the fuel to ensure that there is proper use of it. I have here a list of all the facilities that get the fuel and the way that we are monitoring the fuel. This is a critical element in the short term, but also in the mid and long term.”
9. Various shots, workers at a fuel station in the Gaza Strip overseen by the United Nations Office for Project Services
Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Project Service (UNOPS), Jorge Moreira da Silva visited the European Hospital in Gaza and reaffirmed his office’s commitment to supporting the health sector.
At the European Hospital, the Executive Director witnessed the difficult humanitarian conditions faced by the hospital due to shortages in medical supplies, medications, water, and electricity.
Da Silva confirmed that UNOPS is working to provide the necessary fuel to operate the hospital's generators, especially after the loss of the solar panels that previously provided power before the war. He pointed out that his Office has increased fuel supplies to 1.3 million liters per day following the ceasefire, which has helped restarting ambulances and essential services.
Da Silva emphasized UNOPS's commitment to supporting the health sector in Gaza not only through emergency assistance but also through early recovery and reconstruction plans, stressing the importance of continued humanitarian aid access to the region.
