LONDON — The World Well being Group’s employees residence in Deir al Balah, Gaza, was attacked thrice by the Israel Protection Forces, WHO officers mentioned in a press release.
The Israeli navy entered the premises, forcing girls and kids to evacuate on foot towards Al-Mawasi, in accordance with the Tuesday assertion. The WHO mentioned male staffers and members of the family had been handcuffed, stripped, interrogated on the spot and screened at gunpoint.
Three employees members had been detained, two of which had been later launched, the WHO mentioned in a press release.
Smoke rises as displaced Palestinian stroll with their belongings within the aftermath of an Israeli navy operation in Deir Al-Balah, within the central Gaza Strip, July 22, 2025.
Hatem Khaled/Reuters
The assertion launched by the IDF on Tuesday described navy motion, together with detaining “a number of people suspected of involvement in terrorism,” though it was not instantly clear whether or not it was detailing its interplay with WHO employees.
The assertion mentioned IDF troops had been fired on “within the Deir al Balah space, and responded towards the world from which the capturing originated.”
The IDF added in its assertion that it’s generally “needed for people suspected of terrorist exercise to briefly take away elements of their clothes to be able to be sure that they don’t seem to be concealing explosive belts or different weapons.”
“WHO condemns within the strongest phrases the assaults on a constructing housing WHO employees in Deir al Balah in Gaza, the mistreatment of these sheltering there, and the destruction of its important warehouse,” WHO mentioned.
The IDF launched a press release on Tuesday on social media about its navy motion in Deir al Balah. The IDF assertion, which was launched after the WHO assertion, did not point out the WHO by title, however mentioned the Israeli navy had been “involved” with worldwide organizations previous to the beginning of its motion in Deir Al Balah.
“We emphasize that the IDF maintains steady and constant contact with the worldwide organizations, and all through the battle, the IDF has facilitated the secure evacuations of their personnel from evacuated areas, in coordination with the troops and in accordance with operational necessities,” the IDF mentioned in its assertion.
Smoke rises throughout Israeli strikes amid the Israeli navy operation in Deir Al-Balah, within the central Gaza Strip, July 21, 2025.
Hatem Khaled/Reuters
Many of the WHO’s employees housing was inaccessible after the assaults, the group mentioned in its assertion, including that not less than 43 employees members and their households had been relocated from a number of employees residences to the WHO workplace “below darkness and at important danger.”
“WHO is appalled by the damaging circumstances below which humanitarians and well being employees are pressured to function,” WHO officers mentioned on Tuesday. “Because the safety scenario and entry proceed to deteriorate, purple traces are repeatedly crossed, and humanitarian operations pushed into an ever-shrinking area to reply.”
The group added, “We reiterate our name for the energetic safety of civilians, well being care and its premises and for speedy and unimpeded movement of support, together with meals, gasoline and well being provides, at scale into and throughout Gaza.”
The IDF mentioned it “must be emphasised that the suspects are handled in accordance with worldwide legislation.”
WHO officers of their assertion mentioned the group had shared the coordinates of all its premises, together with its warehouses and employees housing, with “the related events.” However the group mentioned its important warehouse full of medical provides was focused, inflicting “explosions and fireplace inside,” and later looted “by determined crowds.”
“Any risk to those premises is a risk to your complete humanitarian well being response in Gaza,” the group mentioned.
