WHO Condemns Israeli Attacks on Gaza Facilities as Humanitarian Crisis Deepens

Published: 22 July ‘2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

Amid escalating violence and an ever-worsening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a powerful condemnation of Israeli military actions that it claims have directly targeted its personnel and infrastructure. The UN health agency reported that its operations in central Gaza, particularly in Deir al-Balah, have been severely compromised following a series of attacks on its facilities, which included the destruction of a primary warehouse and assaults on staff residences.

In a statement released Monday evening, the WHO detailed a disturbing sequence of events that unfolded as Israeli forces intensified their ground offensive in the city. According to the organization, one of its buildings, sheltering staff members and their families—including children—was subjected to three separate airstrikes, causing a devastating fire and extensive structural damage. The attack left those inside traumatized and at immediate risk. The WHO alleges that following the strikes, Israeli troops entered the premises, forcibly evacuating women and children on foot toward the al-Mawasi region, despite ongoing conflict in the area. Male staff and their relatives were reportedly handcuffed, stripped, and interrogated at gunpoint.

In the aftermath of this incident, two WHO employees and two of their family members were detained. Three were eventually released, but one staff member remains in Israeli custody. The WHO has demanded his immediate release and urgent protection for its personnel who have since been relocated, along with their families, to the organization’s regional office in Deir al-Balah.

The WHO further reported that its main warehouse in the city had also been attacked, resulting in a fire and several explosions. In the chaos that followed, the warehouse was looted by desperate civilians, highlighting the crumbling infrastructure and the dire conditions under which the people of Gaza are living. While the agency did not assign specific blame for the warehouse attack, it emphasized that this incident is part of a larger, disturbing trend of what it described as “systematic destruction of health facilities” throughout Gaza.

The Israeli military has yet to respond to these specific allegations. However, the offensive in Deir al-Balah represents the first significant ground operation in the city since the war began nearly two years ago. This latest campaign, according to Israeli media outlets, aims to cut a corridor through the city, severing it from the al-Mawasi region and restricting movement between central Gaza’s densely populated refugee camps.

Humanitarian agencies, including the United Nations, warn that the offensive is compounding an already catastrophic situation. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been displaced in recent days, adding to a staggering total that has seen more than 87 percent of Gaza fall under Israeli evacuation orders or militarized zones. With essential services virtually non-existent and access to food and healthcare increasingly scarce, the region teeters on the edge of complete collapse.

In its statement, the WHO painted a grim picture of the health crisis, stating that its ability to maintain a functioning presence in Gaza has been crippled. The agency warned that the collapse of health systems now seems imminent, pushing more than two million residents deeper into desperation. The lack of access to medical care has already proven deadly: the Hamas-run health ministry reported that at least 19 people have died from malnutrition since the weekend, and clinics continue to see an influx of emaciated patients in urgent need of treatment.

The Israeli military operation was reportedly launched in response to ongoing threats from Hamas and with the aim of dismantling what Israeli officials describe as “terrorist infrastructure.” However, the heavy-handed approach and its severe impact on civilians and international humanitarian operations have drawn growing international criticism. According to reports, one consideration delaying a full-scale operation in Deir al-Balah had been the possible presence of Israeli hostages still held in the area. At least 20 of the 50 individuals believed to remain in Hamas captivity are thought to be alive, prompting concerns from their families that the current offensive could further jeopardize their safety.

Since the start of the war on October 7, 2023—triggered by a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that killed approximately 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage—the human toll in Gaza has been immense. The territory’s health ministry now estimates that at least 59,029 people have been killed in the ensuing conflict.

As Deir al-Balah becomes the latest flashpoint in this devastating war, the international community is once again called upon to reckon with the consequences of unrelenting violence, eroding humanitarian protections, and the systematic dismantling of services vital to the survival of millions. The WHO’s condemnation stands as both a dire warning and a desperate appeal—for the protection of medical workers, for respect toward humanitarian institutions, and above all, for the preservation of human life in a war that continues to exact an unthinkable cost.