Israeli forces attacked the World Health Organization (WHO) staff residence in Gaza, along with its main warehouse, three times on Monday, detaining staff and family members, the head of the UN agency said.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the attacks occurred at the staff residence in Deir al-Balah.
“The Israeli military entered the premises, forcing women and children to evacuate on foot towards Al-Mawasi amid active fighting,” he said.
Tedros said male staff members and family members were handcuffed, stripped, interrogated on the spot and searched at gunpoint, adding that two WHO staff members and two family members were detained.
The three were later released, but one staff member remains in detention, he said, adding that 32 WHO staff members and family members were evacuated to the WHO office when access became possible.
“WHO demands the immediate release of detained staff and the protection of all its employees.”
Expressing concern about the latest Israeli evacuation order in Deir al-Balah, Tedros underlined that it had affected several WHO sites, jeopardizing the agency’s ability to operate in Gaza and pushing the health system further towards collapse.
“WHO’s main warehouse located in Deir al-Balah is located within the evacuation zone and was damaged yesterday when an attack caused explosions and a fire inside,” he recalled.
“WHO urgently calls on Member States to help ensure the sustainable and regular flow of medical supplies to Gaza,” he said, stressing that jeopardizing WHO operations cripples the entire health response in Gaza.
“A ceasefire is not only necessary, it is long overdue,” he added, AA writes.
