WHO Executive Director: We Destroy Gaza Children's Body And Minds

Illustration of aid trucks to Gaza. (Twitter/@cogatonline)

JAKARTA - Children's minds and bodies in Gaza are being destroyed after two months of aid blockades and new attacks, the World Health Organization (WHO) Emergency Executive Director said on Thursday.

Israel is known to have blockaded the entry of medical troops, fuel, and eating into the Gaza Strip since March 2.

"We destroyed the bodies and minds of Gaza's children. We tortured Gazan children. We were involved," Deputy Director General Michael Ryan told reporters at the WHO headquarters.

"As a doctor I am angry. That's death," he said.

Israel argued to pressure the Hamas group to release hostages because the ceasefire agreement was halted.

"The current level of malnutrition causes collapse of immunity," Ryan said, warning cases of pneumonia and meningitis in women and children could increase.

Israel previously denied Gaza was facing a hunger crisis. It has not been explained when and how aid will proceed.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military accused Hamas of diverting aid, which Hamas denies.

Last week, the United Nations warned that acute malnutrition among Gazan children was getting worse.