(MENAFN) The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that its staff residence and primary warehouse in Gaza were struck by the Israeli military on Monday, significantly crippling the agency’s operations and hastening the collapse of the local healthcare system.

According to a statement from WHO, the staff residence located in Deir al-Balah, Gaza, endured three separate attacks on Monday, while the main warehouse was completely destroyed. The agency denounced these actions "in the strongest terms."

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus detailed on X that Israeli forces entered WHO’s premises, compelling women and children to evacuate on foot. Meanwhile, male staff and their relatives were "handcuffed, stripped, interrogated on the spot and screened at gunpoint."

Two WHO employees and two family members were taken into custody. Of those detained, three have since been released, but one remains imprisoned, Tedros reported, urging for the immediate release of the remaining detainee and stressing the need for comprehensive protection of all WHO personnel.

He also appealed to member states to facilitate a continuous and reliable supply of medical resources into Gaza.

"A ceasefire is not just necessary, it is overdue," he stated.

The Israeli military advanced tanks into sections of Deir al-Balah on Monday after issuing a prior evacuation order the day before, targeting residents including displaced individuals residing in tents, ahead of expected military action.

Initial estimates from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs indicated tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians were present in Deir al-Balah when the evacuation directive was issued.

In response, over 20 Western countries along with the European Union issued a joint statement on Monday demanding an immediate halt to hostilities in Gaza. The statement highlighted that the civilian suffering "has reached new depths."

"We condemn the drip-feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food," the statement declared.

The death toll among Palestinians in Gaza due to Israeli strikes has exceeded 59,000 since the conflict began on October 7, 2023, according to WHO officials based in Gaza.

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