The Executive Board of the World Health Organization (WHO) today unanimously adopted a resolution calling for immediate humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

While the UN Security Council did not pass a resolution on a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas on humanitarian grounds due to a US veto, the 34 member countries of the WHO Executive Board unanimously called for “immediate, sustained and unhindered passage of humanitarian aid” to Gaza Strip.

The resolution, proposed by Afghanistan, Morocco, Qatar and Yemen, calls for the granting of exit permits to patients, the provision of medicine and medical equipment to civilians, and access for anyone deprived of their liberty to access medical care.

The resolution also expresses its “grave concern” at the humanitarian situation and the “widespread destruction” and calls for the protection of all civilians.

While approving the resolution, representatives of some Western countries expressed their reservations.

The US representative to the Organization said that Washington agreed not to oppose the adoption of the resolution, but noted that it had “serious reservations”, stressing that it “regrets the lack of balance in the resolution”.

For Canada, the text is a “compromise resolution” that could also denounce Hamas’ role in the war, taking hostages and “using civilians as human shields.”

Australia expressed its objections, saying the resolution did not specifically mention the bloody attacks by Hamas on October 7, which were “the catalyst for the current catastrophic situation”.