U.N.'s World Health Organization calls on Israel to free Gaza hospital chief as death toll tops 45,500
CBSN
Geneva — The head of the United Nations' World Health Organization called Monday for the immediate release of Hossam Abu Safiyeh, director of the war-torn Gaza Strip's Kamal Adwan Hospital, who is being held by Israel's military following a major raid on the facility. The Friday-Saturday assault on Kamal Adwan in Beit Lahia left northern Gaza's last major health facility out of service and emptied of patients, the WHO said.
"Hospitals in Gaza have once again become battlegrounds and the health system is under severe threat," WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X. "Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza is out of service following the raid, forced patient and staff evacuation and the detention of its director. His whereabouts are unknown. We call for his immediate release."
Israel's military said Sunday that its forces had killed approximately 20 Palestinian militants and apprehended "240 terrorists" in the raid, calling it one of its "largest operations" conducted in the territory. The Israeli military said it had detained Abu Safiyeh, suspecting him of being a Hamas militant. When asked if he had been transferred to Israeli territory for further questioning, the military did not offer an immediate comment.
