A long-standing resolution urging World Health Organisation action on towering health needs in the Palestinian territories hangs in the balance after Israel secured an amendment requiring the text to mention hostages held in Gaza, AFP reports.

The largely technical text presented on Wednesday by a group of Arab countries, including the Palestinians, to the WHO’s supreme decision-making body, had been expected to pass easily, as similar resolutions have done annually for more than 50 years.

But before the text could go to a vote, Israel surprisingly secured enough support to demand it be amended to include a call for the release of the hostages held in Gaza and a condemnation of the alleged militarisation of hospitals in the territory by Hamas.

The Arab Group then attempted to retract the resolution but was informed that doing so once an amendment had already been voted through was against the rules.

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