The World Health Organization (WHO) accused the Israeli military on Monday of carrying out airstrikes against its staff residence and main logistics warehouse in the central Gaza city of Deir al-Balah. The UN agency said the attacks severely compromised its operational capabilities in the Palestinian enclave, already ravaged by months of intense conflict.
According to a WHO statement, the staff residence was hit three times in strikes on Monday, causing a major fire and extensive property damage. The organization said its staff, their families, and several children were inside the building at the time of the attack, putting their lives at direct risk.
In addition, the WHO's main warehouse in Gaza was also damaged, complicating the delivery of crucial medical supplies to a region where the health system is stretched to its limits. The agency denounced this as a serious threat to the safety of its employees and to the humanitarian neutrality that is supposed to protect health workers in conflict zones.
No official response has yet been provided by Israeli authorities to these accusations. However, in previous similar cases, the Israeli military has maintained that its strikes targeted infrastructure used for military purposes by Palestinian armed groups, accused of hiding in civilian areas and near humanitarian facilities.
The WHO urged parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law and ensure the safety of medical and humanitarian personnel. The organization reiterated that health facilities, relief warehouses, and humanitarian personnel accommodation are afforded special protection under international conventions.
This incident comes in a string of attacks on medical and humanitarian infrastructure reported since the start of the war in Gaza. UN agencies and NGOs operating on the ground regularly denounce the impossibility of providing effective aid in an environment that has become too dangerous, including for the most essential humanitarian missions.
