The World Health Organization (WHO) has strongly condemned Israeli military attacks on its staff residence and main warehouse in the Gazan city of Deir al-Balah, warning that the strikes have compromised its humanitarian operations. According to WHO, the staff residence was targeted three times on Monday, triggering fires and extensive damage. Staff and their families, including children, were forced to evacuate amid ongoing shelling.
WHO said Israeli forces entered the premises, handcuffed male staff and family members, stripped and interrogated them at gunpoint, and detained two staff and two relatives. Three were later released, while one remains in custody. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus demanded the immediate release of the detained staff and called for protection of all humanitarian workers.
Deir al-Balah, now packed with displaced Palestinians, saw Israeli tanks push into its southern and eastern districts for the first time on Monday. Israel believes hostages taken during the October 7 Hamas-led attacks may be held in the area. The military shelling reportedly hit homes and mosques, killing at least three and injuring several others, according to local medics.
WHO also confirmed that its main warehouse in an Israeli-declared evacuation zone was struck on Sunday, causing explosions and fire damage. Despite the escalating violence, WHO pledged to continue and expand operations in Deir al-Balah.
The Israeli offensive, launched after the October 7 attacks that killed 1,200 Israelis and saw 251 hostages taken, has since killed over 59,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials. Over 21 months of war have displaced nearly the entire population and devastated Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure, which WHO says is now “on its knees.”
More than 20 countries, including the UK, have called for an immediate ceasefire and criticized Israel’s aid delivery model.