WHO Condemns Israeli Attacks on Gaza Facilities Amid Escalating Conflict

The World Health Organization (WHO) has strongly criticized Israeli military actions in central Gaza, accusing forces of targeting its facilities and endangering staff. The UN agency reported that its staff residence in Deir al-Balah was attacked three times on Monday, with airstrikes causing a fire and significant damage. Israeli troops reportedly entered the premises, forcing women and children to evacuate on foot to al-Mawasi amid active conflict. Male staff and family members were subjected to harsh treatment, including being handcuffed, stripped, interrogated, and screened at gunpoint. One WHO staff member remains detained, with the agency demanding their immediate release.

The WHO’s main warehouse in Deir al-Balah was also destroyed in an attack, later looted by desperate crowds. The agency described the incidents as part of a “systematic destruction of health facilities,” warning that its operations in Gaza are now severely compromised, threatening the health system’s ability to serve over two million people.

The Israeli military acknowledged operations in Deir al-Balah, stating that troops responded to gunfire in the area and detained “several individuals suspected of involvement in terrorism.” Most were released after questioning, with the military emphasizing compliance with international law. It also claimed prior warnings were issued to civilians and coordination was made with international organizations.

The offensive, the first major Israeli ground operation in Deir al-Balah since the war began, has displaced 50,000 to 80,000 people, with evacuation orders issued for six city blocks on Sunday. Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry reported 33 deaths from malnutrition, including 12 children, in the past 48 hours. The UN has raised alarms over rising malnutrition and the collapse of essential services, with 87.8% of Gaza now under evacuation orders or militarized zones, confining 2.1 million people to just 46 square kilometers.

Elsewhere, overnight strikes in northern Gaza’s al-Shati refugee camp killed at least 14 people, including women and children, when tents for displaced families were hit. Local medics reported additional deaths in Deir al-Balah, with shellfire and tank advances claiming lives. The UN’s humanitarian office noted that its staff remain in the city despite risks, stressing that their coordinates were shared with Israel for protection.

The conflict, sparked by Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, has led to at least 59,029 deaths in Gaza, according to the territory’s health ministry. Concerns persist for the safety of remaining hostages, with fears that the offensive could endanger them. The international community, including the UK and 27 other nations, has condemned Israel over civilian deaths, while calls grow for media access to Gaza to document the crisis.