WHO Director-General warns against possible Israeli offensive in Gaza

The director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, reiterated this Wednesday (1) his rejection of a possible Israeli offensive against the city of Rafah, in Gaza, where more than a million Palestinians are taking refuge. .

“A large-scale invasion against Rafah would be a humanitarian catastrophe”, warned the person responsible in his X account.

We call on Israel not to proceed further and urge all parties to work towards a ceasefire and lasting peace in the region, he said.

A few hours ago, Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced on the same social network a meeting with Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Middle East.

At the meeting, we analyzed “the terrible and extremely worrying health and humanitarian situation in Gaza”, he noted.

The head of the WHO noted that the current famine caused by the Israeli blockade of the entry of humanitarian aid has increased the risk of epidemics in that territory.

Our teams will continue to work together to support basic health services and hospital recovery across the Strip, but we urgently need sustained, unimpeded and safe access, he expressed in X.

In the name of humanity, I appeal to Israel not to launch the operation and to dialogue to advance on the path to peace, Adhanom Ghebreyesus recently expressed, in the midst of preparations to attack the city.

The Israeli press revealed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised his far-right government partners that he would attack Rafah with or without a ceasefire agreement with Hamas.

Netanyahu justifies the operation with the argument of destroying the last stronghold of the Islamic movement in the Strip, although experts, both Israeli and from other latitudes, consider it impossible to eliminate that armed group in its entirety.

For the operation, the Army deployed two other reserve brigades to the coastal enclave, amid insistent appeals from the international community to avoid the attack.

With information from Sputnik