Gaza: The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced Monday that the Israeli occupation forces carried out three separate attacks targeting the WHO staff residence in Deir al Balah, Gaza, and the organization's main warehouse. He also called for the immediate release of a detained WHO staff member.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Ghebreyesus stated in a post on his official account on X that the Israeli occupation military entered the premises, forcing women and children to evacuate on foot toward Al-Mawasi amid active conflict. Male staff and family members were reportedly handcuffed, stripped, interrogated on the spot, and screened at gunpoint.
Ghebreyesus added that two WHO staff members and two family members were detained during the incident. While three of them were later released, one WHO staff member remains in detention. A total of 32 WHO staff and family members were evacuated to the WHO office in Gaza once access became possible.
The report also highlighted that WHO's main warehouse in Deir al Balah, located within the evacuation zone, was severely damaged during an attack that caused explosions and a fire inside. With the main warehouse nonfunctional and the majority of medical supplies in Gaza depleted, WHO is experiencing significant constraints in adequately supporting hospitals, emergency medical teams, and health partners who are critically short on medicines, fuel, and equipment.
The UN health chief expressed concern that the latest evacuation order issued by Israeli occupation forces in Deir al Balah has severely compromised the organization's ability to operate in Gaza, pushing the health system further toward collapse. Ghebreyesus reiterated WHO's urgent call on Member States to ensure a sustained and regular flow of medical supplies into Gaza.
He emphasized that as the lead agency for health, compromising WHO's operations means crippling the entire health response in Gaza. He stressed, "A ceasefire is not just necessary; it is overdue."