WHO says staff residence, Deir al-Balah warehouse attacked three times on Monday

The World Health Organization says that its staff residence and main warehouse in Gazan city of Deir al-Balah were attacked three times on Monday.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says the Israel Defense Forces entered the UN agency’s staff residence, forced women and children to evacuate on foot, and handcuffed, stripped and interrogated male staff at gunpoint.

Two WHO staff and two family members were detained, three of whom were later released while the other remains in detention, according to Tedros.

“WHO demands the immediate release of the detained staff and protection of all its staff,” he says.

Tedros also says “the latest evacuation order in Deir al-Balah has affected several WHO premises, compromising our ability to operate in Gaza and pushing the health system further towards collapse.”

“WHO’s main warehouse located in Deir al-Balah is within the evacuation zone, and was damaged yesterday when an attack caused explosions and a fire inside,” he adds.

IDF tanks pushed into southern and eastern districts of the Gazan city of Deir al-Balah for the first time on Monday, an area where Israeli sources said the military believes hostages may be held.