Gaza hospitals are ‘battlegrounds,’ says WHO chief

By Nathan Morley

The Head of the World Health Organization has said hospitals had ‘once again’ become battlegrounds and the health system is under severe threat. 

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said people in Gaza need access to health care and humanitarians need access to provide health aid.

He also called for the immediate release of Hussam Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, who was detained by Israeli forces.

Last week, the Israeli army completed a ‘targeted operation’ against a suspected ‘Hamas command centre’ located within Adwan Hospital.

The army reported the detention of more than 240 Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives, some of whom – the IDF claimed - allegedly tried to disguise themselves as patients.

However, hospital operations were disrupted, and the building was severely damaged. 

Syria arrests

In other regional developments, Syria's new regime has arrested nearly 300 supporters of ousted President Bashar al-Assad, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

Over the past week, security forces have arrested individuals around the Syrian capital Damascus. According to the SOHR, those arrested include former soldiers and informants of the al-Assad regime.

Three weeks ago, the Islamist HTS group ousted al-Assad, who is now in exile in Moscow.

Elsewhere, Lebanon’s army says at least 45 people have been killed between November 27 and December 22 in Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement.