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Israel-Gaza war: WHO chief pushes for ceasefire amid attacks on Rafah

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators listen to speakers during the "March on Washington for Gaza" in Washington, DC, on January 13, 2024. (Photo: Roberto Schmidt/ AFP)

By Foreign Reporter | 12 Feb 2024

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted the challenging conditions aid workers are facing as they strive to assist in extremely difficult circumstances.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Monday reiterated his appeal for a ceasefire in Gaza, expressing deep concern about Israeli attacks in the port city of Rafah, where the majority of Palestinians have sought refuge.

An Israeli air offensive overnight killed 48 people in Rafah, local health authorities said.

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Tedros, who is the WHO's director-general, noted that only 15 out of Gaza's 36 hospitals were still operating but at partial or minimal capacity. He also highlighted the challenging conditions aid workers are facing as they strive to assist in extremely difficult circumstances.

At the World Government Summit in Dubai, the WHO boss reiterated calls for safe access for humanitarian personnel and supplies, urged Hamas to release hostages, and emphasised the need for a ceasefire.

The conflict in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas fighters attacked Israel.

The UN has said more than 85 per cent of Gazans have been displaced and that Gaza faces famine, with one in five children under five acutely malnourished.

Israel announced last week its intention to launch an assault on Rafah, the last remaining relatively safe area in the enclave.

Over one million displaced Palestinians have sought refuge, resorting to camping on the streets, in vacant lots, and along the coastline.

"I am especially concerned by the recent attacks on Rafah where the majority of Gaza's population has fled the destruction," Tedros said.

"So far, we have delivered 447 metric tons of medical supplies to Gaza, but it's a drop in the ocean of need, which continues to grow every day," he said.

Despite appeals, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to press on with the fight into Rafah, sparking international alarm for the 1.4 million Palestinians taking refuge there.

One Hamas leader told AFP such a move by Israeli forces would "torpedo" ceasefire negotiations.

A week-long truce in November secured the release of more than 100 Gaza hostages, in exchange for 240 Palestinians held in Israel.

During Hamas's October 7 attack on southern Israel, militants seized around 250 hostages, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. Israel says around 130 are still in Gaza, though 29 are thought to be dead.

The attack resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.

Israel has responded with a relentless offensive in Gaza that the territory's health ministry said on Monday had killed at least 28,340 people, mostly women and children.

Additional reporting by AFP