The WHO denounces that Israel has given them 24 hours to withdraw their medical supplies from southern Gaza

Israeli authorities deny having given the evacuation order and demand precision

The UN agency requests that "what happened in the north" of the enclave cannot be the "destiny" of the south of the Strip

The director general of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, denounced this Monday that the Israeli Army has given an order to withdraw its supplies from the medical warehouse located in the south of the Strip in the next 24 hours. from Gaza.

"Today WHO received notification from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) that we should remove our supplies from our medical warehouse in southern Gaza within 24 hours, as ground operations will render it unusable. ", he explained through his profile on the social network X, formerly known as Twitter.

Tedros has called on Israeli authorities to withdraw the order and "take all possible measures to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, including hospitals and humanitarian facilities", although Israel has denied the order.

The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), dependent on the Israeli Ministry of Defense, has asserted that "the truth" is that they have not asked the warehouses to be evacuated. "We made it clear (and in writing) to the relevant UN representatives," reads a statement in which he demands that Tedros "be more precise" because he is a United Nations official.

The WHO has called for protecting the health system against new attacks and the deterioration of its capacity, and has recalled that "nowhere is safe in Gaza." "We have seen what happened in northern Gaza. This cannot be the pattern for the south. Gaza cannot afford to lose another hospital as health needs continue to increase," reads a statement.

The organization, which has been "gravely concerned about the resumption of hostilities", has stressed that "as more civilians in the south receive immediate evacuation orders and are forced to move, more people are concentrated in smaller areas" . Added to this situation is that the remaining hospitals operate "without sufficient" fuel, medicines, food, water or protection of health personnel.

Around 1.9 million people, nearly 80 percent of Gaza's population, are internally displaced. In less than 60 days, the number of hospitals in operation has decreased from 36 to 18. Of them, only three offer basic services, while the rest only provide partial services. Some of the health centers treat two or three times more patients than expected.

On a recent visit to the Naser Medical Complex in Khan Yunis, the WHO team described the situation as "catastrophic," with the building "hugely overcrowded with patients -- who are receiving treatment on the floor -- and displaced people seeking shelter." ". In addition, there is a shortage of health personnel and those who are available "have been working non-stop and are exhausted.

Although disease surveillance systems are blocked, an increase in infectious diseases such as respiratory diseases, scabies, jaundice or diarrhea has been observed, the WHO has reported.

Israel announced this Sunday the start of the incursion into the south of the Strip, after it resumed its bombing of the enclave on Friday after a week of humanitarian pause. The IDF accused the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) of violating the temporary ceasefire shortly before the truce agreement came to an end, which included the release of dozens of Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners, all them women and children, as well as a greater influx of humanitarian aid.

Since October 7, when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and holding 240 hostages, the Israeli Army has killed more than 15,900 Palestinians as part of its air and ground offensive against the Strip. Added to this are more than 240 Palestinians killed at the hands of the Israeli Army and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.