The World Health Organization (WHO) has strongly condemned attacks on its staff residence in Deir al Balah, Gaza, and called for the immediate release of a detained staff member. The attacks, which occurred after an evacuation order issued by the Israeli military, exposed WHO staff and their families to grave danger.
On Monday, airstrikes caused a fire and significant damage to the residence, forcing women and children to evacuate on foot while male staff were handcuffed, stripped, interrogated, and screened at gunpoint. Two WHO staff members and two family members were detained, with three being released and one remaining in detention.
WHO demands continuous protection of its staff and premises, and has called for an end to the Israeli military’s actions. The organization’s operational presence in Gaza is now compromised, crippling efforts to sustain a collapsing health system and pushing survival further out of reach for over two million people.
The WHO’s main warehouse located in Deir al Balah was damaged in an attack yesterday and looted by desperate crowds. With medical supplies depleted and hospitals critically short on essential resources, the organization urgently calls on Member States to ensure a sustained flow of medical aid into Gaza.
WHO urges the international community to support its efforts to maintain humanitarian operations in Gaza, where 88% of the population is under evacuation orders or within Israeli-militarized zones. The organization reiterates its call for an immediate ceasefire and unconditional release of hostages.
Source: https://www.who.int/news/item/21-07-2025-who-operations-compromised-following-attacks-on-warehouse-and-facility-sheltering-staff-and-families-in-deir-al-balah