The World Health Organization (WHO) has strongly condemned Israeli military strikes on its facilities in central Gaza, saying the attacks have severely compromised its operations in the region.
The UN health agency reported that a staff residence in Deir al-Balah was hit during an Israeli raid on Monday, and that its main warehouse was also destroyed.
The WHO said the incident endangered staff and civilians, including children, who were sheltering on the premises.
It further claimed that two staff members and two family members were detained by Israeli troops, though three were later released.
One WHO staffer remains in custody, and the agency is demanding their immediate release.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed it detained several individuals in Deir al-Balah suspected of links to terrorism, adding that most were released after field interrogation.
The IDF maintained it had coordinated with international organizations and acted within the bounds of international law.
Meanwhile, the WHO reported that the staff residence came under fire three times, leading to a fire and major structural damage.
Women and children were reportedly forced to flee on foot, while men were handcuffed, stripped, interrogated, and screened at gunpoint.
“The WHO’s ability to operate in Gaza is now critically impaired,” the agency stated.
“This undermines already collapsing health systems and jeopardizes the survival of over two million people.”
It also noted that its warehouse was not only damaged but later looted by desperate civilians.
The Israeli ground offensive in Deir al-Balah, the first since the war began has displaced tens of thousands.
On Sunday, the Israeli military ordered the evacuation of six city blocks, telling an estimated 50,000 to 80,000 residents to flee south to the al-Mawasi area.
The UN humanitarian office confirmed its staff would remain in Deir al-Balah, citing that its facilities’ coordinates had been shared with Israeli authorities.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said that 33 people, including 12 children, died from malnutrition in just 48 hours.
The UN added that children and adults are showing increasing signs of hunger and disease, warning that “the last lifelines keeping people alive are collapsing.”
In northern Gaza, shelling killed at least 14 displaced people on Monday night in al-Shati refugee camp, while three people were killed in Deir al-Balah and two more died on Tuesday, according to local medics and Hamas’s civil defense unit.
A resident, Raed Bakr, described the aftermath of one strike:
“I felt like I was in a nightmare. Fire, dust, smoke, body parts flying through the air. The children were screaming.”
The UN estimates that nearly 88% of Gaza is now covered by Israeli evacuation orders or is considered militarized “no-go” zones.
This has forced 2.1 million people into a fraction of the territory, where infrastructure and basic services have largely collapsed.
The ongoing offensive has also affected journalists and medical personnel. In Rafah, a freelance photojournalist was killed and another injured when Israeli special forces arrested Dr. Marwan al-Hams, a senior health official.
Witnesses claimed Dr. Hams was injured during his detention.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) confirmed treating casualties at the scene but offered no further details.
Media outlets, including Channel 4 News, said they were trying to confirm the safety of local freelancers reporting for them.
UN human rights chief Volker Türk warned that the situation in Gaza is rapidly deteriorating, saying:
“Given the concentration of civilians in the area… the risks of unlawful killings and other serious violations of international humanitarian law are extremely high.”
Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot called on Israel to allow international media access to Gaza, saying the world must be able to witness the crisis unfolding.
The Israeli military launched its campaign in Gaza following the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack that killed approximately 1,200 people in Israel and resulted in 251 hostages.
Since then, the Gaza health ministry says over 59,000 people have died in the enclave.
