Asking For Attacks On Gaza Hospital To Be Stopped, WHO Chief: People Need Access To Health Care

JAKARTA - The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday called for an end to an attack on a hospital in Gaza, after Israel attacked a hospital and stormed another hospital in recent days.

"Hospitals in Gaza are once again a battlefield and the health system is under serious threat," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a post on X.

"We repeat: stop attacks on hospitals. People in Gaza need access to health care. Humanitarian workers need access to provide health assistance. Ceasefire!" he added.

Earlier, the Israeli military said it targeted personnel of the Hamas militant group during an attack on Al Wafa Hospital, Gaza on Sunday.

On the other hand, Palestinian civil defense authorities said the Israeli attack killed seven Palestinians.

Israeli forces also detained more than 240 Palestinians including dozens of medical staff from Kamal Adwan hospital on Friday, one of whom was hospital director Hussam Abu Safiya, according to health authorities in the enclave and the Israeli military.

The Israeli military said the hospital was used as the center of command for Hamas military operations. Those arrested were suspected of being militants. It said Abu Safiya was brought in for questioning because he was suspected of being a member of Hamas.

Tedros also called for Abu Safiya's immediate release and said Al-Ahli hospitals were also facing attacks.

He added that WHO and its partners had sent basic medical supplies, food, and water to Indonesian hospitals in Gaza and transferred 10 critical patients to Al Shifa hospitals. Four patients were detained during the transfer, he said.

"We urge Israel to ensure their health care needs and rights are met," Tedros said.