WHO Condemns Israeli Attack On Red Crescent In Gaza

JAKARTA - The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday regretted Israel's attack that killed at least five civilians, including a five-day-old baby, at a hospital managed by the Palestinian Red Crescent Association (PRCS) in Gaza.

"I regret today's attack on Al-Amal hospital managed by PRCS in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in X.

The attack, he said, caused severe damage to the PRCS training center located inside the hospital complex.

He explained that his colleagues were on a mission to the facility, where they were "witnessing severe damage and evacuation of civilians."

Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip since the Hamas attack on October 7 have killed more than 22,000 people, most of whom were women and children.

The bombing, along with ground attacks, destroyed the trapped enclave. At least half of Gaza's 2.2 million residents fled and experienced a shortage of food, water, and medicine.

Meanwhile, the official death toll from the Hamas attack on Israel was recorded at 1,200 people.

Tedros said 14,000 people took refuge in the hospital and many of them were already gone.

People who are still there are very worried about their safety, and plan to leave their place of refuge to save themselves.

"Hospitals, ambulances, health workers, and people needing treatment must be protected, at any time, based on international humanitarian law. Today's bombings are completely absurd," said the WHO chief.

"The Gaza health system has slumped, while health workers and aid are continuously late in their efforts to save lives due to hostilities," he further said.

He said he joined the international community in calling for an immediate ceasefire.

"This includes immediately ensuring the acceleration and without any obstacles to the flow of food supply, medicines, water and other important goods to millions of civilians forced to live in hunger, widespread disease, and lack of hygiene and sanitation," he added.

"This condition cannot be expressed in words," he said further.

Tedros stressed that only a small amount of supply could be received, and only a small fraction of Gazans needed medical evacuations that could be evacuated.

"Unacceptable, a terrible humanitarian catastrophe has occurred over the past three months. Of course, the movement of WHO, particularly in northern Gaza and which is increasing in the south, is severely hampered by the ongoing violence in Gaza," he said.

"Our operation is increasingly hampered when our important local partners, such as the Red Crescent, are also affected by the unnecessary impact of the attack," he further said.

"If conditions to allow a ceasefire have not been met at this time, I don't know what else is needed," Tedros said.

"WHO reiterates that health (officers) should not be targeted during the conflict, and all efforts must be made to protect health facilities, health workers and patients," he said.