Israel attacks WHO staff residence in Gaza, organization says

(NewsNation) — Israeli troops attacked the World Health Organization’s staff residence in Gaza three times on Monday, the organization said in a statement.

After airstrikes sparked a fire and caused damage, military officials entered the facility in Deir al-Balah, where WHO staff and their families were staying. Troops forced women and children to leave the premises on foot toward Al-Mawasi, where there is active conflict, the organization said.

“Male staff and family members were handcuffed, stripped, interrogated on the spot, and screened at gunpoint,” the organization said in a statement.

Four people were detained — two staffers, and two family members — and one worker remained in detention as of Tuesday morning.

“WHO demands continuous protection of its staff and the immediate release of the remaining detained staff member,” the statement reads.

The organization’s main warehouse in the city was also destroyed, they said. WHO workers deliver life-saving supplies, monitor disease outbreaks and help organize external help for medicine, according to its website.

IDF seemingly addresses WHO attack accusations

Israel’s military said in a Tuesday social media post that troops “detained several individuals suspected of terrorism involvement” in the Deir al-Balah area on Monday.

Though it never explicitly mentioned the organization, the post referred to stripping, searching and detainment — all of which WHO alleged.

Troops “identified shots being fired toward them in the Deir al-Balah area and responded toward the area from which the shooting originated,” the Israeli Defense Forces wrote.

It added that during questioning, it is sometimes “necessary for suspects to temporarily remove parts of their clothing in order to ensure that they are not concealing explosives or weapons.”

28 countries condemn Israel’s ‘inhumane killing’ of Gaza aid seekers

Nearly 30 countries, including Australia, Canada and Britain, condemned the war in Gaza and said it “must end now” in a joint statement on Monday.

The “suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths,” the coalition wrote, referencing the recent deaths of Palestinians seeking aid.

The United States, a key ally of Israel, was not included in the joint statement.

The U.N. Human Rights Office and the territory’s Health Ministry estimated that more than 800 Palestinians have recently been killed while attempting to get food, water and other supplies.

The countries condemned “the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food.”

Gaza saw its deadliest day yet for aid-seekers in more than 21 months of war Sunday as at least 85 Palestinians were killed while trying to reach food, Gaza’s Health Ministry said.

A U.N. official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to comment on the incident to the media, told the Associated Press that Israeli forces opened fire toward crowds who tried to take food from the convoy.

Footage taken by the U.N. and shared with the Associated Press showed Palestinian men running as automatic gunfire was heard.

“Suddenly, tanks surrounded us and trapped us as gunshots and strikes rained down. We were trapped for around two hours,” said Ehab Al-Zei, who had been waiting for flour and said he hadn’t eaten bread in 15 days. He spoke over the din of people carrying the dead and wounded. ”I will never go back again. Let us die of hunger, it’s better.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.