WHO chief warns that Israel’s Rafah operation may result in a massacre

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a dire warning about the potential consequences of an Israeli military incursion into Gaza’s southern city of Rafah. WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed deep concern that such an operation could result in a “bloodbath” and further devastate an already fragile health system in the region.

With Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowing to crush Hamas’s remaining fighters in Rafah, where a large portion of Gaza’s population has sought refuge, the WHO has announced contingency plans to address the potential crisis. However, WHO representative Rik Peeperkorn emphasized that these efforts would not be sufficient to prevent the expected increase in casualties and deaths that a military operation could bring.

The WHO highlighted the severe damage inflicted on Gaza’s health facilities during the ongoing conflict, with many hospitals and primary health facilities either destroyed or partially functional. As a result, the WHO and its partners are urgently working to restore and enhance health services in the region, including efforts to make the Nasser Medical Complex in nearby Khan Yunis operational.

The WHO’s statement called for an immediate ceasefire and the removal of obstacles hindering the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza. UN humanitarian agency OCHA spokesman Jens Laerke warned that a military operation in Rafah could lead to a “slaughter” and exacerbate the already dire humanitarian situation in the region.

As tensions escalate, the international community is closely monitoring the situation in Gaza, with hopes for a peaceful resolution to prevent further suffering and loss of life.