WHO condemns attack on Al Ahli Arab Hospital

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has condemned the attack on Al Ahli Arab Hospital in the north of the Gaza Strip.

WHO said in a statement released on Tuesday that the attack reported large scale casualties.

“The hospital was operational, with patients, health and care givers, and internally displaced people sheltering there.

“Early reports indicate hundreds of fatalities and injuries,” it said.

According to the statement, the hospital is one of 20 in the north of the Gaza Strip facing evacuation orders from the Israeli military.

It said that the order for evacuation had been impossible to carry out given the current insecurity and critical condition of many patients.

It said that other problems were lack of ambulances, staff, health system bed capacity, and alternative shelter for those displaced.

The statement called for the immediate active protection of civilians and health care.

“Evacuation orders must be reversed.

“International humanitarian law must be abided by, which means health care must be actively protected and never targeted,” it said.