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22:05 GMT
GENEVA, July 21 (KUNA) -- The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced Monday that the Israeli occupation forces carried out three separate attacks targeting the WHO staff residence in (Deir al Balah) Gaza, and the organization's main warehouse and called for the immediate release of a detained WHO staff member.
In a post on his official account on (X) Ghebreyesus stated that the Israeli occupation military entered the premises forcing women and children to evacuate on foot toward (Al-Mawasi) amid active conflict stressing that Male staff and family members were handcuffed stripped interrogated on the spot and screened at gunpoint.
He added that two WHO staff members and two family members were detained. Three were later released while one WHO staff member remains in detention.
A total of 32 WHO staff and family members were evacuated to the WHO office in Gaza once access became possible.
Ghebreyesus also reported that WHO's main warehouse in (Deir al Balah) located within the evacuation zone was severely damaged during an attack yesterday that caused explosions and a fire inside.
He warned that with the main warehouse nonfunctional and the majority of medical supplies in Gaza depleted WHO is severely constrained in adequately supporting hospitals emergency medical teams and health partners who are already critically short on medicines fuel and equipment.
The UN health chief said that the latest evacuation order issued by Israeli occupation forces in (Deir al Balah) has impacted several WHO premises severely compromising the organization's ability to operate in Gaza and pushing the health system further toward collapse.
Ghebreyesus reiterated WHO's urgent call on Member States to ensure a sustained and regular flow of medical supplies into Gaza.
He stressed that as the lead agency for health compromising WHO's operations means crippling the entire health response in Gaza stressing that "A ceasefire is not just necessary it is overdue." (end)
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