World Health Organization condemns Israeli attacks on facilities in Gaza

2 hours ago Share Save David Gritten BBC News, Jerusalem Share Save

Anadolu via Getty Images Smoke rises over western Deir al-Balah during an Israeli offensive on Monday

The World Health Organization (WHO) says Israel’s ground offensive in central Gaza has compromised its efforts to continue working, after its facilities came under attack. The UN agency accused Israeli forces of attacking a building housing its staff and their families in the city of Deir al-Balah on Monday and mistreating those sheltering there. Its main warehouse was also attacked and destroyed. The Israeli military has not yet commented. Its first major ground operation in Deir al-Balah since the start of the war with Hamas 21 months ago has displaced tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians, amid warnings of a severe hunger crisis across the territory.

The UN said on Monday it was receiving reports of malnourished people arriving at clinics and hospitals in extremely poor health, while the Hamas-run health ministry said 19 people had died from malnutrition since Saturday.

On Sunday, the Israeli military ordered the immediate evacuation of six city blocks in southern Deir al-Balah, warning that it would be operating “with great force to destroy the enemy’s capabilities and terrorist infrastructure”. The estimated 50,000 to 80,000 people living in the affected areas were instructed to head south towards the al-Mawasi area in the south of the territory. The UN’s humanitarian office said UN staff would remain in Deir al-Balah despite the evacuation order, spread across dozens of premises whose co-ordinates had been shared with Israel, and stressed that they had to be protected. On Monday night, the WHO put out a statement saying it condemned “in the strongest terms” attacks on its facilities. It said the WHO staff residence was attacked three times, and that staff and their families, including children, were “exposed to grave danger and traumatized after air strikes caused a fire and significant damage”. “Israeli military entered the premises, forcing women and children to evacuate on foot toward al-Mawasi amid active conflict. Male staff and family members were handcuffed, stripped, interrogated on the spot, and screened at gunpoint,” it added. “Two WHO staff and two family members were detained. Three were later released, while one staff member remains in detention.” The WHO demanded the immediate release of its detained staff member and the protection of its other staff, who have been relocated with their families to its office in Deir al-Balah.