GENEVA: In an emotional appeal, the Director-General of the World Health Organization called on Israel to show compassion in the Gaza conflict.
During the annual WHO assembly in Geneva, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, visibly emotional, urged Israel to show “mercy” and emphasized that prolonged war is detrimental to all parties involved, including Israel itself.
Tedros highlighted the deep human suffering in Gaza, describing it as akin to PTSD, drawing from his own experiences growing up in wartime Ethiopia.
He condemned the weaponization of food and medical supplies, underscoring the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region. “It’s very wrong to weaponize food. It’s very wrong to weaponize medical supplies,” he stated passionately.
The UN has begun distributing approximately 90 truckloads of aid into Gaza, marking the first aid deliveries since Israel imposed a total blockade in early March.
Despite this effort, the situation remains dire, with the WHO warning that 2.1 million Gazans are “in imminent danger of death” due to shortages of essentials such as food, water, fuel, and medical supplies.
WHO officials called for an urgent resolution: ending starvation, releasing all hostages, and restoring the health system. Michael Ryan, WHO emergencies director, shared a personal perspective as a former hostage, emphasizing the suffering of families and stressing that all hostages should be freed.
The WHO stressed that only a political solution can bring lasting peace and stability, with Tedros reiterating that seeking peace benefits not only Palestinians but also Israel and humanity at large.
