WHO: contingency plan for Rafah incursion is mere 'band-aid'

A World Health Organization official said on Friday that the agency had a contingency plan prepared in case of an Israeli incursion into Gaza's Rafah but said it would not be sufficient to prevent a substantial rise in the death toll.

"I want to really say that this contingency plan is a band-aid," said Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative for the occupied Palestinian territory, at a Geneva press briefing via video link.

"It will absolutely not prevent the expected substantial additional mortality and morbidity posed by a military operation."