GAZA CITY: The Director General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has called on Israeli authorities to immediately release Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, the Director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in the northern Gaza Strip. Dr. Abu Safia was reportedly detained following a raid by Israeli forces, which resulted in the hospital being taken out of service.

According to Qatar News Agency, the WHO chief expressed his concerns via the X platform, emphasizing the urgent need for Dr. Abu Safia's release. The raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital led to the forced evacuation of patients and medical staff, severely impacting the hospital's operations. Ghebreyesus highlighted the dire situation, stating that hospitals in Gaza are increasingly becoming battlegrounds, placing the region's healthcare system under significant threat.

In a related development, the government media office in Gaza has called on the international community, including human rights and humanitarian organizations and the International Red Cross, to take immediate action. They are urging these bodies to help uncover the fate of Dr. Abu Safia, who has been missing since the occupation forces besieged and seized control of the hospital.