Palestinian Civil Defense crews comb for survivors and bodies at the site of a building in Gaza City razed by Israeli shelling. File Photo by Palestinian Civil Defense/UPI | License Photo
The World Health Organization said employees and family members living at its staff residence in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza were left traumatized after being stripped and interrogated at gunpoint by Israeli forces after the premises were badly damaged in airstrikes.
The WHO said in a news release Monday that it condemned “in the strongest terms the attacks on a building housing WHO staff in Deir al Balah in Gaza, the mistreatment of those sheltering there,” and the destruction of its main warehouse nearby.
“Staff and their families, including children, were exposed to grave danger and traumatized after airstrikes caused a fire and significant damage. Israeli military entered the premises, forcing women and children to evacuate on foot toward Al-Mawasi amid active conflict,” the statement said.
“Male staff and family members were handcuffed, stripped, interrogated on the spot, and screened at gunpoint. Two WHO staff and two family members were detained. Three were later released, while one staff member remains in detention.”
WHO said it had to rescue 32 people, including women and children and evacuate them to the nearby WHO office, along with a further 11 people in other staff housing.
The Israeli military acknowledged, without naming the WHO, that it had detained several terror suspects as part of its operations targeting terrorist organizations in the area, insisting it was within its rights to act against threats to Israel’s security. It also claimed it coordinated with the international organizations and ensured their staff were kept safe while they were being evacuated.
“After field questioning, the majority were released and evacuated from the area in coordination with the international organizations. It should be emphasized that the suspects are treated in accordance with international law. At times during field questioning, it is necessary for suspects to temporarily remove parts of their clothing in order to ensure that they are not concealing explosives or weapons,” the IDF said in a post on X.
“The IDF has facilitated the safe evacuations of their personnel from evacuated areas, in coordination with the troops and in accordance with operational requirements.”
The WHO demanded that its staff be protected at all times and called for the immediate release of the remaining detained staff member.
Monday’s incident came after the Israel Defense Forces launched an air and ground offensive targeting Deir al-Balah, where tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians have been sheltering.
Before the start of the operation, the first attack on the central Gaza town since the start of the war, Israel issued evacuation orders affecting at least 50,000 people and several WHO premises in the area.
WHO said attacks on staff and destruction of its main warehouse were part of “a pattern of systematic destruction of health facilities” that had left the operational capability of the United Nations’ lead health agency badly compromised.
