WHO Chief Calls for Ceasefire and End to Attacks on Gaza Hospitals

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has called for an immediate halt to attacks on hospitals in Gaza, condemning recent strikes and raids that have put the region’s already fragile health system under severe strain.

Key Developments:

1. Hospital Attacks:
   • Israel’s military struck Gaza City’s Al Wafa hospital on Sunday, reportedly killing seven people, according to Palestinian civil defense officials.
   • On Friday, Israeli forces raided Kamal Adwan hospital, detaining over 240 Palestinians, including medical staff and the hospital’s director, Hussam Abu Safiya.
2. Claims and Counterclaims:
   • The Israeli military stated that both hospitals were being used as command centers for Hamas military operations, justifying the strikes and detentions.
   • WHO Chief Tedros has demanded the release of Abu Safiya and other detained patients and staff, emphasizing the need for health care access.
3. Humanitarian Impact:
   • Tedros highlighted the dire need for medical supplies, food, and water in Gaza’s hospitals. The WHO and partners delivered aid to the Indonesian hospital and transferred 10 critical patients to Al Shifa hospital, where four were detained.

Casualty and Damage Toll:

• 45,514 Palestinians have been killed, and 108,189 injured since Israel’s military offensive began in response to the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

Tedros’s Appeal:

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Tedros called for a ceasefire, stating, “Hospitals in Gaza have once again become battlegrounds… Ceasefire!” He urged Israel to uphold the rights and health care needs of Palestinians and ensure access for humanitarian aid.