Head of World Health Organization Concerned Conditions in Gaza Are Very Bad, Israel Blames WHO

JAKARTA - The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) called for a ceasefire and a permanent solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, describing the conditions in Gaza as 'hell'.

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who experienced war as a child and whose children hid in bunkers during bombings in Ethiopia's border war with Eritrea in 1998-2000, became emotional when describing conditions in the bombed Gaza region, where the death toll has been more than 25 thousand people.

"I believe because based on my own experience, war brings no solution, except more war, more hatred, more suffering, more destruction. So let's choose peace and solve this problem politically," said Dr. Tedros told the WHO Executive Board during a discussion on the Gaza health emergency in Geneva, Switzerland, as reported by Reuters, January 26.

"I think you have all said a two-state solution and so on, and hope that this war will end and lead to a correct solution," he said, adding the situation in the Palestinian enclave was "unspeakable".

In the same speech, Tedros warned that more people in Gaza would die from hunger and disease.

"If you add all that up, I don't think it's easy to understand how bad the situation is," he bitterly said.

Separately, the Israeli ambassador said Tedros' comments represented a "complete failure of leadership".

"The director general's statement embodies everything that has gone wrong with the WHO since October 7. There is no mention of hostages, rape, murder of Israelis, or Hamas' despicable militarization of hospitals and use of human shields," Meirav Eilon Shahar said in a commentary which was sent to Reuters.

He also accused the global health body of "collusion" with Hamas, and said the WHO turned a blind eye to Hamas military activity in Gaza hospitals.

It is known that Israel launched a military campaign to eliminate Hamas, after the militant group invaded Israel on October 7 and killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took more than 200 people hostage back to Gaza.

Meanwhile, in Gaza, around 25,900 people were killed and 64,110 others were injured as a result of Israel's military campaign, citing Al Jazeera.