KABUL: The World Health Organization (WHO) has condemned the Israeli airstrike on the building housing its staff in “Deir al-Balah,” Gaza Strip.
In a statement on Monday night, the organization said that following the Israeli strike on the WHO facility in Gaza, the organization’s premises and warehouse were destroyed, and staff members along with their families, including children, suffered severe psychological trauma.
The statement noted that after the escalation of hostilities and an evacuation order for “Deir al-Balah” from Israel, the staff residence had been targeted at least three times.
It further stated: “The Israeli army entered the area and forced women and children to walk on foot towards the al-Mawasi area amid active fighting. Men—staff members and their family members—were handcuffed, stripped, interrogated at the site, and subjected to body searches while guns were pointed at them.”
The WHO reported that the Israeli army arrested two staff members and two family members but released three after interrogation, taking one with them.
This comes as more than 20 Western countries, including the UK, France, Canada, and Australia, have called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.